


Come All This Way to Meet You

by tatyafinwe



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Angst with a Happy Ending, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-04-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 09:50:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,269
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13408704
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tatyafinwe/pseuds/tatyafinwe
Summary: Spock’s spaceship crashes on a post-apocalypse Earth, where he finds Jim, a lone survivor and highly illogical human being. He agrees to take Jim out of the planet in return for his help to fix the ship. Yet what is only a temporary alliance at the start grows to be much, much more.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [只为途中与你相见](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/351837) by 域城. 



> I created an artwork for this fic [here](https://tatyafinwe.deviantart.com/art/Jim-and-Spock-s-hug-741079071)

It was yellow everywhere. Cracks scarred almost every inch of earth. Ruins, nothing but ruins lay in the setting sun.  
   
Spock raised the tricorder, brows furrowed as he looked at the reading. The radiation was just at the dangerous level for Vulcans — he had injected medications in advance to protect himself from possible radiation harm. Gravity and oxygen level were relatively steady.  
   
He took off the protection gear, and tentatively walked on the land. The ground crumbled under his weight.

 

   
_This planet was no longer suitable for the survival of highly intelligent creatures._

 

   
As the thought flashed through his mind, Spock heard a small sound from behind. The next thing he knew, he was on the ground with a weight on his back. An enemy must have waited a long time and attacked him just when he let his guard down.  
   
He shouldn't have.  
   
It was a male human being who stroke him down. Said human was now trying to lock his arms behind the back to restrict his actions. Spock instinctively began to struggle, but stopped after he successfully turned around, open hands raised to his ears and body still — the human was sitting forcibly on his body, right hand pointing a sharp weapon dangerously close to Spock's neck.  
   
It wasn't really a weapon but a crude blade wrapped with cloth on the bottom half, handle missing. Spock measured him with his eyes. The human was wearing some clothes of which he could not tell the color. He was a complete mess from top to bottom, blond hair buried under dirt and dust.  
   
His eyes were of a particular blue.  
   
The human looked Spock up and down and flashed a bright smile, spare hand reaching for Spock's ear almost involuntarily. “You have an adorable mutation.”  
   
Spock calmly assessed his situation. The human wrongly thought he was a human and held an ineffective weapon. His own strength far surpassed his enemy’s, he could —  
   
Spock gripped the human's right wrist and forced it to move away from his unprotected neck. The unequal strength and the element of surprised caused the human to lose his weapon in pain.  
   
The human didn't seem to need time to recover, as he immediately attacked Spock's eyes with his left hand. Spock raised his right hand to block it and used his waist to press him under his body.  
 

The situation reversed.  
   
Spock constrained the human from fighting and calmly introduced himself. “I am not a mutated human being as you claimed. I’m a Vulcan from planet Vulcan located in the Nevasi system in Sector 005.”  
   
“Who are you trying to fool? An alien speaking English?” A minute before he was still moving relentlessly, then suddenly the human gave up struggling. “I don't have any supplies left to give you. You may as well kill me now.”  
   
“Vulcans do not lie.” Spock replied, confused at the other’s insistence. “If I wanted to kill you, you would be dead by now.”  
   
“Fine, you’re right. And since you don't want to kill me, could you please let me go?”  
   
“You need to give up the intention to attack me.”  
   
“Dude, I'm no match for you, with your super-strength and all. I don't have a death wish anyway.”  
 

 

Spock looked down at the human who was no longer struggling. His blue eyes were wide open, radiating innocence. If he wasn't trying to cut Spock's throat just about a minute ago, that expression might have been convincing.  
   
Spock finally released him. He stood up and tried to clean his clothes dirtied from fighting on the ground.  
   
“… I believe you are an alien now. No human would still care about how clean their clothes are, not after everything.” The human blinked a few times, picked up the fallen weapon and put it back to his waist.  
   
“I'm Jim, Jim Kirk.” The human, or Jim, wiped his dirty hand on his dirtier pants and extended his hand with a wide grin. “Nice to meet you, Vulcan. How are you doing?”  
   
“Vulcans do not shake hands.” Spock watched as the hand hanging in the air pulled back.  
   
“Well, fine. You see how the earth looks like now, I'm not sure what you're travelling here for.” Jim took a step forward. “But if you don't have a tour guide, I can tell you all about the tragic life story of this planet.”

 

   
Spock paused for a moment, considering accepting his offer.  
   
Until Jim attacked him again.  
   
Jim pretended to bend down to tie his shoe laces, but instead threw some dirt towards Spock to blur his view and quickly kicked Spock's calf. The self-proclaimed alien, even with eyes closed, didn't kneel down as he expected, but quickly realized where Jim was and prepared to defend himself.  
   
Adrenaline flying through his blood, Jim made his most regrettable move yet. He should've run away at the first opportunity. The alien with a straight bang and pointy ears and spotless robe reached for his shoulder. Then there was a sudden dizziness. The last thing he saw was the pointy bastard looking down at him with a poker face.


	2. Chapter 2

Jim was lying on the ground when he regained consciousness, hands tied to his back. Or rather, he was lying on a robe that looked somewhat familiar.

He struggled to sit up as the pointy ears who knocked him down earlier was looking over something that looked very high-tech. Entirely defenseless, Jim shook his head to lessen the dizziness he felt. Pointy ears let go of the device he held and walked towards Jim.  
   
“It was not my intention to harm you, but you kept attacking me.”

Is this a complaint? Jim thought it over. “What trick did you do to knock me unconscious?”  
   
“Vulcan nerve pinch,” Spock answered. “You are the only human alive around here, and I intend to gather relevant information from you.”  
   
“Fine, Fine. I do believe you now. Do you mind releasing me?”  
   
Spock glanced at Jim's tied hands. “Yes, I do.”

 

  
Jim rolled his eyes.  
   
“As far as I know, humans are a versatile and deceptive species.” Spock observed Jim's ever-changing facial expressions. “I see that I have had the accurate information.”  
  
“So now I'm a captive of you evil alien? What kind of weird experiments are you going to do on me?” Jim didn’t appear to be much concerned though. He sat down and tried to make himself comfortable, moving exaggeratedly on the other's robe.  
   
“I am not evil. Vulcans are a peaceful species.”  
   
“Sure, they love peace except when they're not.” Jim looked pointedly at his tied hands. “What do you want to know? How did this miserable planet bring its own doom?”

 

   
“From my speculation, there was wide use of weapons of mass destruction around the globe that caused the drastic environmental change of the whole planet. Radiation caused some beneficial mutation, but brought the extinction to most species.” Spock kept the typical Vulcan blank expression as he spoke. “You can call me Spock.”  
   
Jim snapped at Spock's words.  
   
“Why are you asking me if you've already known?”  
   
“This is only a preliminary speculation based on environmental data and rumors, and I am hoping for a more accurate and logical conclusion. As far as I know, none of this had happened on Earth twenty years ago.”  
 

 

Jim licked his lips and swallowed convulsively. His lips were dry from the lack of water.

“Yeah, the war happened not many decades ago. I was born during the war. You lose a sense of time when you live a life like this.”  
   
“The Third World War, you know, nuclear weapons, weapons of mass destruction, and all that. No country was willing to strike first, but no country would rather be left behind either. Then some mad man dropped one, and, boom-boom, everything was lit up in flames. All those big fancy cities became nothing but ruins, population fell through the floor, environmental problems and radioactive waste… And here we are.”  
   
“To my knowledge, this planet once had an advanced and prosperous civilization.”  
   
“Yes. Before all this, the planet was said to look blue from space.” Jim smiled ruefully. “I don’t know how many people survived. Resources are limited, so everyone just try to attack first when we meet another human.”  
   
“So you kept trying to attack me,” Spock replied, and then added, “it is still blue now.”  
   
_A rather beautiful planet._

 

   
Jim looked at Spock, smile not reaching his eyes. “It’s pretty ironic. I had always thought that human extinction would bring the end of the planet. Now I see, we were way too arrogant.”  
   
“I didn't want to kill you. I was the only one here, and I wasn't going to be killed in my sleep, so I did it first.” Jim's voice grew quieter. “Now it's your time to answer my questions.”  
   
Spock's reply was a raised eyebrow.

“If you are Vulcan, where did you learn to speak English?”  
   
“I have no intention to answer your question,” Spock replied blandly.  
   
“That’s not fair.” Jim twisted his lips unpleasantly, but Spock had already realized that humans' facial expressions were not an accurate indicator of their thoughts.  
   
“You see, we are the only ones here in a no man's land. Only two ones with _logical_ thinking. You must be bored not talking to me?”  
   
“Vulcans do not get bored.”  
   
Jim stared at Spock for a long while and started laughing. He laughed so hard that he ended up coughing.  
   
“Dude, you are the funniest thing that I’ve seen in a long time. It’s nice to have some fun before I die.” Jim’s laughter and cough mixed together, sounding like a broken fan.

 

   
Spock didn't reply. He took out his water flask, removed the cap and raised it near Jim's mouth.  
   
Jim was actually stunned this time.  
   
“It is water, not toxic.” Spock's expression was a combination of frustration and impatience.  
   
Jim leaned forward and downed half of the water without spilling any. Maybe this was the result of living in an environment without stable access to safe water, Spock thought.  
   
“I stand corrected. You are not the funniest thing that has happened to me in a long time. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.”

 

   
Spock silently screwed the cap back and put the flask back to his backpack.  
   
“I want to explore this area and I want you to be my guide.”  
   
“Do I have a choice?” Jim stood up, and jumped around to stretch his legs. “So what does the reverent Mr. Spock want to see? Collapsed man-made buildings? Died organisms are all probably eaten up, maybe you want to see their skeletons? Or violent creatures created by radiation induced mutation?  
   
“I,” Spock paused uncharacteristically, “human buildings, especially places with large machines.”  
   
Jim tilted his head and stared at Spock.

“You don't want to explore the earth,” Jim cracked a grin. “All that ‘Vulcans do not lie’ bullshit. You filthy liar, I caught you!”

“I do not understand.”  
   
“You were forced to land here. No matter what you were flying, you'll need to fix that thing to go home. So you need to find repair materials as soon as possible, before you die of hunger or too much radiation exposure.”  
   
Spock did not answer. Maybe he underestimated the intelligence of this human.  
   
“I did not lie. My purpose was to explore earth. Only that my ship experienced some malfunctions.”  
   
“So you need me.”  
   
“I admit, “Spock replied. “Maybe I can bring you back to Vulcan. If you'd like.”  
   
“A rare alien pet joining your Vulcan circuit? Nah, I’m good,” Jim muttered. “I can bring you there and help you fix your spacecraft. You'll share your water and food with me. And we're even when it's all done.”  
   
Spock nodded, “this is acceptable.”  
   
Humans might be a species that was particularly fond of smiling, and Jim did have a bright and pleasant smile. Spock watched him as he raised his hands towards Spock with a wide grin. “Now is the time to show your desire to cooperate.”  
   
Spock loosened the knot under the intense gaze of those blue eyes.

 

“Can you tell me about that pinch or something?”  
   
“Vulcan nerve pinch.”  
   
“Yep. It seems useful. I'm a quick learner.”  
   
“It is based on Vulcan physiology and humans can never learn it.”  
   
“Ah, so stingy.”

 

   
Spock did not respond, but continued walking besides Jim.  
   
“What is Vulcan like? Is it pretty? Is it also blue?”  
   
“It is illogical to judge a planet by its aesthetical qualities. It is not blue.”  
   
“Then what color is it? Does everyone of your race have pointy ears? Like an elf, Pointy?  
   
“Vulcan is a desert planet.”  
   
“Are all your Vulcans so dull and solemn, or do I just meet the most boring one?”  
   
“It is illogical to judge a race by one individual. But from my preliminary judgement: humans are a noisy species.” 

 

This struck a little close to home and Jim was quiet for a while. Irritated, he walked faster in front of Spock, until finally spoke again.  
   
“I haven't talked to another being for a long time. The last person I saw ran after me for a day and a half.”  
   
“Did you kill that person?” Though Spock didn't wish to waste unnecessary energy by talking to Jim, he still could not help but opened his mouth. _Illogical._  
   
“No. He came from somewhere else, bigger and stronger than me. Maybe he wanted to kill me to get my stuff, or he was just insane. I ran for a long time, hiding and running and finding some food for energy, until finally at an open space he was about to reach me. Suddenly, he just fell down.”  
   
Jim answered quietly.

“Die from exhaustion,” Spock added.  
   
Human smile could express a multitude of meanings, Spock reconfirmed this observation. Jim’s smile was rueful and weak.  
   
“I guess so.”

 

Jim finally kept quiet, but Spock was not as pleased as he had thought.  
   
“How long until our destination?”  
   
“We can reach the place before nightfall,” Jim answers, “it's about 2 or 3 right now and it will take about four more hours if everything goes well.”  
   
“Is this place always so dry?”  
   
“When I was little, there were farms and plantations, but as time passed, with more and more extreme weather, it became dry here. Water was extracted from underground and with most water gone, ground cover collapse became common,” Jim gestured. “Between dying of dehydration immediately and falling into a hole in the ground someday, everyone chose the latter.”  
   
“It is predictable.”

 

   
“I don't really have much to say any more, this place hasn't changed for years.” Jim suddenly changed the topic. “What's interesting about your home?”  
   
Spock could not help but thought of his home, the dry planet so different from Earth, the hot and thin air, her mother's warm smile and hug.  
   
“Vulcan is 16.5 light year away from Earth. Vulcan does not have moons. Most places on Vulcan are like the desert area on Earth.”

“Do Vulcans all have poker faces,” Jim tried to raise one of his eyebrows dramatically, “and say 'it is not scientific' or 'it is illogical'?”  
   
Spock didn't realize that he unconsciously raised an eyebrow again until he turned his head. He frowned in frustration. Jim was clearly entertained by his reaction.  
   
“Vulcans were once a violent species. War almost destroyed all of our civilization. In human's time scale, about two thousand years ago, the legendary Surak led Vulcans to abandon emotions and embrace a philosophy purely based on logic, and the civilization was reborn. Modern Vulcan society is entirely built on logic. Any behaviors resulting from emotions are unacceptable.”  
   
“In other words, you don't have anyone ‘illogical’ in your people.” Jim twitched his mouth, clearly unhappy about Spock's indication that he was illogical.

 

   
“Different from humans on Earth, Vulcans follow only reason and logic.” Spock ignored Jim's expressions. “If our places were switched, I would not insistent on attacking after finding out that my enemy far exceeds me in both strength and intelligence, nor would I keep prying information and try to run away.”  
   
“'Far exceeds me in both strength and intelligence'?” Jim looked stunned. “Do you Vulcans know a thing called modesty?”  
   
“Honesty and candor benefit both parties.”  
   
“And what are _you_ hiding?” The levity in Jim’s voice suddenly disappeared. “I don't believe that some simple readings can tell you what happened on Earth. It is far more difficult to deduce the answer from clues, than to come to a reasonable conclusion from those clues with the answer already in your head.”  
   
“You knew what happened to Earth. Ten years ago Earth used immature technology to send a group of people into space to preserve human civilization in case Earth was destroyed. I don't want to assume the worst of your intentions. _Yet_.”

 

   
The bleak earth sat silently in a dusty light as the sun began to set. Spock and Jim were face to face mere a few inches apart.  
   
Tension filled the air.


	3. Chapter 3

Jim thought about the two possible endings to this story: maybe he would start spilling out everything to Spock, or maybe he’d have to fight him to the death. But who knew, karma could be an unpredictable bitch.  
   
“Holy fuck! Run!!” Jim turned immediately. He dragged Spock's sleeve and then started running for his life.

Spock chose to follow Jim as though they weren’t about to start a fight just seconds before. Half a step behind, he started running as fast as he could. Disturbing sounds came from behind, something dark and fast-moving covered the ground.

“What kind of luck you've got? I tell you that you won't have bones left if those things touch you,” Jim shouted at Spock. “Fuck our lives!”  
   
Spock could tell that the fist-sized flat-abdomen dark-brown creatures ware a kind of earth insects. They crowded in disturbingly. He looked suspiciously at Jim, who seemed surprisingly scared especially considering his previous insolence, and curiosity won over not exactly at the best time. “What species do they belong to?”  
   
Jim stared at Spock with wide eyes, “you want to know that _now_ ” written all over his face. Fortunately, neither of them slowed their steps. He breathlessly answered, “that's cockroach, a horrible and invincible creature. I'll tell you more to you when _we're safe_.”  
   
Spock realized that the route Jim was leading was not entirely straight, with decisive turns as if there was a destination ahead. Spock speculated that it would lead to a place that could protect two of them from this chase.

 

   
There were only so many routes humans, or for that matter, Vulcans, could take due to their sizes, while those swarming cockroaches boldly pursued in a straight line where no man had gone before. The nearest cockroach almost reached Spock's heels.  
   
“How much further?” Spock turned his head and used his feet to swap away the closest bugs.  
   
“Several hundred meters, not much further.” Jim stopped to catch his breath as he saw Spock killed dozens of those bugs with his boots. “But the road forward would be hard to travel. Follow me closely.” This Vulcan pointy ear bastard, still seemed to have his ease when he almost lost his breath.  
   
Spock gestured Jim to lead the way, and the two continue running for their lives together.  
   
Seemingly knowing that the destination was just ahead, Jim still managed to pick up his speed. Not much time had passed since the standoff. The sun was still hanging above the horizon, so the vision was fairly clear. With human’s poor night vision, if it were two hours later, their chances of survival would be close to zero.  
   
Spock calculated quickly in his mind, and saw the signs of artificial constructions ahead. “Climb up using this crane.” Jim took the lead to climb the rusty crane rather skillfully. “There is rope at the very top, and we can use it to swing to that half-finished building. The bottom of the building is a vertical glass wall, cockroaches cannot climb up there.”

The pair started climbing up. The surface of the crane was all rusted, a perfectly fit for a cockroach's crawl. So even though Spock followed Jim closely, he was nonetheless surrounded. A single cockroach couldn't do much damage, but there were so many of them. Spock found that they ate all non-metallic items, including their robes and bare skin. They would climb everywhere and on everything unless they were literally crushed to ashes. 

 

   
“I see that now the poker face is your only expression, not just a show for me.” Jim, who had climbed to the top, held a metal chain with the same rusty surface. “I'm going first.”

Immediately, Jim held onto the rope and flew out. The first swing was far from the platform of the opposite building. After a few back and forth like a pendulum, Jim let go of the rope and successfully landed after several rolls.  
   
Spock roughly swept the creatures of his body and hurriedly got a hold of the chain.  
   
The wonders of science never ceased to amaze. Turned out that water could melt rock after years of chemical erosion. Spock could feel the sound the iron chain made under Earth's gravity. It was reaching the end of its life cycle.  
   
Spock did not hesitate, decided immediately to swing to the other side where Jim was watching, unharmed.  
   
There was no point to loosen the grip, as the chain broke the third time he was swinging towards Jim. Not high enough to reach the platform.  
   
Loosening the chain, Spock extended his arms towards the edge of the building.  
   
The possibility to reach it was 0.98%, Spock was prepared to fall.  
   
Indeed, his finger tip slid down the top. Spock focused on his legs and hoped to minimize damage upon landing — what he did not expect was that he remained where he was.

 

   
Jim was lying at the edge, two hands grabbing Spock's left hand tight and trying to pull him up.  
   
“You should give up. I am Vulcan and I have larger body density than a human’s. You don't have the strength to pull me up.” Spock still wore that nonchalant expression, as if it was someone else who was going to fell to those bugs' mouths.  
   
“Fuck off dickhead. I don't believe that I can't pull you up.” Jim's cheeks flushed bright red, blue veins bulging near his tempers. “If you still have the strength to talk, you can fucking use it to climb up!”  
   
Despite Jim's confidence, Spock's body was unsurprisingly descending slowly. The glass wall was smooth, and he couldn’t really do anything without sliding even lower. He was barely hanging in the air thanks to Jim’s hands.  
   
Spock raised his head to stare at the human whom he had only met this afternoon. Yet he was trying to pull him up at risk of falling to his own death. 

 

   
Suddenly, Spock and Jim heard a low roar.  
   
“Shit!” Jim did not turn around, seemingly aware of the identity of whatever was coming. He struggled to say, “do you prefer to be killed by the bugs or the bear?”

The sound of Jim and Spock made before no doubt attracted the bear's attention, as the thundering footsteps came closer.  
   
“We might as well let it kill us,” Jim forced a dry smile. “A slow death would be much more painful. At least our brother bear might give us a quick end.”  
   
Spock widened his eyes a little. The creature that was called bear appearing behind Jim looked enormous and powerful. Judging from its body construction, it should have no trouble tearing his skull apart.

 

   
Jim closed his eyes, hoping that the feeling of his neck being bitten wouldn't last too long. He tightened his hold on Spock’s hand, and thought to himself, _Bones, thank goodness. I won't die alone._  
   
The pain he expected didn't arrive, but instead there was a sound of a body hitting the ground. Jim confusedly open his eyes and saw Spock holding something looking like a gun and aiming pass him.  
   
Then, Spock put the gun back to his robe and tugged hard with his connecting hand with Jim, even pulling Jim's upper body off the edge. He moved his body up and finally held onto the floor with his right hand. Jim also quickly adjusted his balance and pulled Spock up.  
   
Finally, the pair collapsed on the platform next to the bear. The bear was lying still though there didn’t appear to be any visible wounds.

 

   
“I’ve been going down the fucking rabbit hole ever since I met you.” Finally safe, Jim relaxed and lied down on the ground, breathing hard and complaining. “What did you use to kill that bear?”  
   
Spock looked at his own robe, unfortunately with small holes and blood stains now, took a deep breath and reached out to pull Jim up.  
   
“We should leave here as soon as possible. My phaser was set to stun when I fired.” Spock watched the unconscious bear, knowing that he had little chance fighting such a beast.

Jim, being pulled up, sighed frustratingly and started to lead the way again.

 

   
“This is the place I told you before that might have the equipment you need,” Jim said. “The building was not finished before the Earth Game Overed, but it wasn't far from completion. The gimmick of the building's design was — no entrance, the only entrance is from above. “  
   
Spock nodded his understanding. “So the creature called 'cockroach' is also a result of the deterioration of Earth's environment?”  
   
“More or less,” Jim scratched his head. “The creatures that survived are those with exceptional breeding abilities. Cockroaches are resilient, they can eat everything they see. Then generations of radio-induced mutations gave you all that.”  
   
“No, wait, you said set to stun, so your phaser has other settings?” Jim asked. “Why didn't you just kill it?”  
   
“It's slow for mammals to breed, and the chances for beneficial mutations are low,” Spock said as a way of explaining.  
   
“And that's why human population has been declining, and why most children born are either dead or crippled,” Jim nodded. “But what does it have to do with anything?”  
   
“It is invaluable for biodiversity on Earth.”

 

   
“You choose not to kill it to protect an endangered species?” Jim laughed hard, as if he heard a really funny joke, “ _I_ belong to an endangered species, why don't you protect me?”  
   
“In fact, I stunned it to save your life.”  
   
“Our lives,” Jim made air quotes around the word 'our'. “Are you some kind of a science freak? Asking about cockroaches when death was literally at your heels, protecting that bear for biodiversity. Tell you what, I've lived here for more than a dozen years, and I've never seen a male bear, so the bear’s not gonna have children anyway.”  
   
“So that was a female bear, “Spock raised one eyebrow. “Fascinating.”

 

Jim rolled his eyes, and then put on a flattering grin. “Now that we’ve got the bear out of the way. Could I see your phaser?”  
   
“Negative.” Spock wasn't moved at all. “We should leave here as soon as possible, as we don't know when the bear would wake up.”

“Stingy. I just risked my life to save yours.” Jim twitched his lips.  
   
“If you hadn't gone the longer route to test what I could do, I wouldn't have needed to be saved.” Spock pointed out that the 4-hour journey in Jim’s words only took them about twenty minutes. Not to say they weren't even in the same direction.  
   
“If you had been more forward about your abilities, I wouldn't have tested you,” Jim retorted. “Suspicious alien.”

 

   
Spock kept his head down and did not respond. He remembered Jim's tight hand holding his not long ago. He could almost still feel it, as if his hand was not safely hidden under his robes.  
   
“Why did you save me just then?” Spock asked.  
   
“Save or not, we're going to die anyway,” Jim answered quietly. “I was just curious how much more you could do. I didn't truly want to screw you.”  
   
“Now that we finally know each other to some extent,” Spock concluded decidedly. “I hope our cooperation to be successful.”  
   
“I'll help you fix the ship, and you'll bring me home?”  
   
“Affirmative,” Spock nodded. “Though I was still wondering why you did not want to 'screw me'.”  
   
“Because I think you are a nice guy, despite your stupid hairstyle and even stupider stubbornness.” Jim patted Spock’s shoulder comfortingly and continued walking.  
   
“And I thought it was because how nicely I treated my captive.” Spock's voice was all seriousness, not a single pitch change from before.  
   
Jim expectedly exploded and turned to face Spock. “I was so naive. A second before I thought I could get along with you!”  
   
Then, Jim couldn't help but cracked a wide smile, eyes crinkling at the corners. What Spock did not know was that, at the same time, the slight twist to his own lips didn’t not escape Jim’s eyes.  
 

 

“It's a pleasure to work with you.” Jim extended his right hand.  
   
“I already said that Vulcans do not shake hands.” Spock kept his hands behind his back, refusing to move an inch. But then Jim dropped his arms and launched himself towards him, giving Spock a firm hug.  
   
“Alright, alright. We’ll do whatever you say.” Jim's warm breath touched Spock's shoulder. “ _Pointy_.”


	4. Chapter 4

Jim led Spock pass the concrete columns with protective layers still on and through the yet incomplete main gate, into a science museum that never got to open. “I like this place, come here a lot. If whatever you need actually exist on the Earth, I bet you can find it here.”  
   
Spock nodded his agreement with Jim’s assessment. “Even though the level of technology development on Earth is far below that on Vulcan, there is a high possibility that I’ll find what I need in this place.”  
   
Jim snorted. “That might technically be true. But I still find it really annoying.”  
   
Spock studied the colorful paintings on the devices and bent down to examine the underlying structures without turning his head. “It is illogical to be annoyed by indisputable facts.”  
   
“Sure, cuz logic _is_ what’s most important to human. So, Spock of the planet Vulcan, Lord of Logic and King of Reason, I’m at your service.” Jim jumped onto a large replica of a weapon system and bowed exaggeratedly. “What can I get you?”  
   
“Superglue, or a metal column; more than three meters in length; able to withstand -150 to -243 degree of temperature without breaking; high fatigue and crack resistance; tensile strength larger than…”  
   
“I know exactly what you need!” Jim jumped off the replica, with his strange enthusiasm. “At the very end of the building, a model in the space science hall. Titanium alloy, should satisfy all your requirements.”  
   
Spock stared at Jim’s back, surprised by his extensive knowledge in this field. All education systems on Earth collapsed along with the human societies themselves more than ten years ago. Jim looked less than 30, so in no way had he gotten higher education before the war.  
   
“When the war was still looming at a distance, some survivalists believed that apocalypse was inevitable and began researching about the possibility of space travel. Space research was pretty popular at the time.” Unware of Spock’s internal musings, Jim explained to Spock. “This museum was built by the same rich delusional guys. Who knew, turns out they actually had some fucking foresight.”  
   
   
   
They removed the most expensive column in the science museum, and carried it on their shoulders rather awkwardly, one up front, one in back.  
   
“Wait, I almost forgot!” Jim cried out. “How do we get out? I used to just use that metal chain to go back the same way. Swing to the crane and then climb down. But now that chain’s broken, all thanks to you heavy Vulcan.”  
   
“I think we can use the same route the bear used to come in,” Spock replied. “How did it come in?”  
   
Jim’s eyes immediately brightened. “From a glass platform at the bottom I guess. It’s only made of regular glass, can’t really support much weight. Should be the weakest point.”  
   
Just as expected, they found a hole large enough for a bear to go through without much effort. Glass pieces were all over place near the hole.  
   
Well. That explained how.  
   
Jim looked at the huge hole and shook his head, climbing through it first.  
   
   
   
Stepped out of the artificial building, everything in sight was back to endless murky grey under the twilight.  
   
“How’s your night vision?” Jim was speaking of the upcoming total darkness, and admitted, “not exactly our strongest suit. I could barely see my toes.”  
   
“I’ll walk in front.” Spock quickened his steps until he was in front, leaving his back to Jim. “Vulcans have better night visions than humans. I remember the way here.”  
   
“Sure, all on you,” Jim said with a hint of smile in his voice. Spock and Jim carried that face-wide column and went back the same way to the place where Spock force-landed his spacecraft. Luckily, the rest of the journey was eventless.  
 

   
“Oh my God!” Jim threw himself at the ship, leaving handprints all over the shell of the small spacecraft. “She’s so pretty! Is this little beauty really yours?”  
   
“…It’s illogical to use pronouns reserved for sentient beings on a lifeless item.” Spock looked up. “I designed this flight craft myself.”  
   
“Pointy you’re _amazing_!” Jim’s eyes gleamed with excitement, while his hands never stopped caressing the craft.  
   
“I must express my displeasure at being called that name,” Spock said flatly, not participating whatever Jim was doing. “The flight craft was built with automated repair and restoration system, but I did not expect that the second stand and its back-up supporting the cross member would both break during the flight.”  
   
“Can’t you try welding?”  
   
“In fact, I successfully force-landed on Earth only because I used welding.” Spock raised his hand to brush over his flight craft. “However, the strength of the welding point decreased in process and it was not strong enough for a second space travel. I need a whole stand to support the ship.”  
   
“And that’s when the column we brought back comes in!” Jim cracked a smile. “Should we start now?”  
   
“That is not necessary.” Spock couldn’t quite understand why Jim was so thrilled. “I incline to begin repair work tomorrow after some rest, when vision is clear.”  
   
   
   
Jim nodded. “Fine. Then, can I go inside? Hurry up, I want to see inside!”  
   
Spock’s flight craft’s automated facial recognition system recognized Spock and opened the door to let Jim and Spock inside.  
   
Jim felt something was not right the second he stepped into the spacecraft. In his imagination, the interior décor of a flight craft that cool should also be pretty futuristic-looking, but what welcomed him was a grey sweater hanging below an air exchanger.  
   
“What’s this?”

“My clothes.” Spock took down the sweater and started folding it neatly after making sure it was dry.  
   
As opposed to the total darkness outside, the space inside was filled with warm bright light. So Jim could clearly see the trail of footprints, mixed with grass and dirt, he left behind on the spotless ground.  
   
Jim raised his right foot somewhat awkwardly, wasn’t too sure about keeping walking inside.  
   
_Damn, I thought I was visiting a factory, but now I’m touring Pointy’s bedroom._  
   
   
   
“If you want to clean yourself, walk this way.” Spock pointed at somewhere inside the flight craft. “There will be an AI guiding you to use the cleaning device. I’ll make some food using the replicator.”  
   
“I can have a hot shower?” Jim entirely recovered from the disappointment he might or might not have felt. “It was like several lifetimes ago since I had my last.”  
   
“No.” Spock was unimpressed by Jim’s exaggerated expression. “Water is invaluable even on Vulcan. You can have a sonic shower.”  
   
“Good enough.” This time, it was clear that Jim wasn't disappointed at all. He said cheerfully, “I’ll go first.”  
   
   
   
Finally back at his ship, the first thing Spock did is to take off his clothes and carefully fix all the holes and scratches left by the cockroaches. Then he went to the replicator to make food.  
   
On the other side, Jim followed a synthetic female voice into a small shower room on the other side of the room. It felt strange somehow. He went to his friend’s house and took a shower. What’s next? Dinner together and then a pillow fight?  
   
Finished with the quick shower, Jim found that his own ragged clothes weren’t where they were anymore. Sitting at the same place was a robe in the same style as Spock’s own.  
   
Jim successfully put on the robe, after some careful research of cause, and went on to find Spock. He burst out a laugh the second he saw him.  
   
The robes on them were exactly the same. But Spock wore it neat and tidy, looking like a fucking priest, while Jim wore it unhinged like he was in some kinky play, his bare chest and thighs exposed as he causally took long strides.  
   
   
   
Spock was trying to find something inside the closet when Jim’s steps and laughter came out from behind.  
   
He heard Jim’s laughter and suppressed the urge to turn back. He was getting used to the human’s sometimes weird sense of humor. After finding what he needed, Spock finally turned to look at the human full of contradictions and fascinations.  
   
Now that all the dirt has been washed away, the true color of his skin was finally visible - a healthy tan. His hair was sticking out in every direction possible, light stubble on his cheeks revealing Jim’s true young age. Parts of his lean body could be seen from the generous openings of the robe.  
   
His eyes were shining brilliantly like a blue flame of fire.  
   
Spock let his expression clearly show his confusion at Jim’s laughter and his discontent at Jim’s appearance. “Before eating, I have some anti-radiation medication for human.”  
   
“Oh no, I don’t want injections.”  
   
“Please explain your reasons.”  
   
“Of cause _it’s not_ because I fear the pain,” Jim explained, and burst out after seeing the expression on Spock’s face. “I’m really _not_ afraid of the pain! I just don’t _like_ it.”  
   
“I don’t think the feeling following it could be called pain.” Spock took out a hypospray. “You can inject it yourself if you want.”  
   
   
   
“So…What _on earth_ are you doing here?”  
   
Instead of taking over the injector, Jim sat down on the ground, his robe spreading out, and suddenly threw out a question. He didn't meet Spock’s eyes.  
   
“I don’t understand your question,” Spock replied, as if he didn’t understand that specific phrase.  
   
Jim wasn’t fooled. “You know that humans have worse night vision than Vulcans. You have medicine specifically for humans. You know how everything went down! Your English is fluent, and you don’t even have an accent!” Jim jerked his head up, sadness and pain written all over his face. “Did the ship arrive on Vulcan more than ten years ago?”  
   
“No.”  
   
Spock thoughtfully studied the suddenly defensive Jim.  
   
“Vulcans do not lie. I am not sure as to what provoked such strong reactions from you.”  
   
“How do you know?!” Jim stood up, face under his palms. “Why do you know the Earth so well?”  
   
“I believe that an explanation is indeed warranted. I can explain it while we are having meal,” Spock said calmly, pushing the hypospray towards Jim. “However, I am more curious about the reason why you are so interested in this matter.”  
   
   
   
Jim glared at Spock, who didn’t flinch at all under his intense gaze. He just sat there in an upright manner, not affected by any height advantage Jim might have on him. This strange, robot-like alien had only met him for an afternoon, but he already knew how to do deal with all his wild tricks. He also had weird obsessions on some petty things, like, meal and medicine.  
   
Knowing he was going to lose the staring contest, Jim took over the injector and stuck it to his arm.  
   
“Ouch!” Jim jumped despite himself. “I knew you and Bones were lying to me! It hurt!”  
   
“There's no need to be over-dramatic. I suggest that we eat now.” Spock put the replicated food in front of Jim. “I believe that this is traditional human food.”  
   
Jim looked at the spaghetti under his eyes skeptically. “And you say you don’t know humans?”  
   
Spock tilted his head. “I admit that I have had close contact with humans. But in human’s timescale, no human arrived on Earth more than ten years ago.”  
   
“Yummy.” Spock looked at Jim, who seemed to have lost all his anger, mouth filled with food, and didn’t know how to respond.  
   
Chewing rather difficultly with all the food in his mouth, Jim started suddenly, “my father was sacrificed during the war. Got a lot of useless metals. My mom and brother…”  
   
“Don’t talk with food in your mouth.” Spock began eating much more elegantly.  
   
Jim put down his fork and swallowed the food with a gulp.  
   
“More than ten years ago, almost the same time when that science museum was built, my government built a spaceship in the hope to save humanity, carrying representatives of people from all races and occupations as well as some important Earth species.”  
   
“My mom and brother were selected to board that ship and they left the Earth together.” Jim fixed his eyes at some point low, avoiding Spock’s eyes. “I know that my mom has always loved Sam more. So I guess it was understandable to bring Sam instead of me.”  
   
   
   
“I am not familiar with the exact situation at the time,” Spock said contemplatively. “And I have no right to speak of your family. But I think you were only about the age of ten then, right?”  
   
“Nine.” Jim stared at the food on his plate, absently stabbing it with his fork.  
   
“And how old was your brother?”  
   
“Thirteen.”  
   
“I think that your mother chose to leave you on Earth not because she didn’t want to bring you with her, but because you were too young. A reasonable age distribution on the ship is essential to long term space flight.”  
   
Surprised, Jim raised his head and looked at Spock on other side of the table - he was comforting him.  
   
   
   
“What about you?” Jim was biting his fork, looking atypically unsure of himself. “How do you know so many things?”  
   
“My phenotypes lean towards Vulcan, but I am in fact mixed-race.” Under Jim’s widening eyes, Spock continued, “My mother was Earth Human.”  
   
“That’s so _cool_.”  
   
The answer came unexpected. Jim was indeed a fascinating human being. He refused to give up when facing the incredible strength of Spock when they first met, and then, when having the perfect chance to get rid of him, saved Spock at the risk of his own. And now -  
   
“But how did your dad meet your mom?”  
   
“About thirty years ago, some government on Earth conducted a space travel experiment in secret. The large project you mentioned might be an expanded version of it.”  
   
“And they reached Vulcan?”  
   
“No, the mission failed. They landed on a Class M planet. My father was a captain of the Vulcan fleet then, and that was how he met my mother.”  
   
“So, your mother wasn’t the only one survived?”  
   
“In fact, the Vulcan fleet saved four humans. However, their bodies were greatly damaged by the lack of resources on the planet and long-time exposure to radiation. They all passed away in recent years, including my mother,” Spock explained.  
   
“ _I am sorry_.” Jim covered Spock’s hand resting on the desk with his own. Spock flinched involuntarily at the touch, but somehow did not pull out his hand.  
   
“It is illogical for humans to apologize for things that they are not responsible for.”  
   
“Bear with it. This is how _we are_.” Warmth carried through their connecting hands. Jim was smiling brilliantly at him on the other side. 

Spock found himself unable to look away. He suddenly had an illogical impulse to postpone the physical examination he planned for Jim after dinner.  
 


	5. Chapter 5

Jim thought that he wouldn't sleep well. There were so many reasons: he had been in a hyper-vigilant state for more than ten years; he met a stranger in a new environment, or more accurately, a _mixed-race alien_ , who was now sleeping within thirty steps of him; and, he was told that he didn’t have many days left:  
   
   
   
After dinner, Spock clinically examined Jim's entire body using a weird device (Spock called it a "medical tricorder"). Based on his knowledge of human, Spock made a preliminarily diagnose on Jim's health condition: pretty terrible, in plain words. He had suffered from long-time exposure to radiation as well as food and sleep deprivation, and most organ systems in Jim's body were now damaged beyond repair. A total breakdown might come next month, or next year. Or tomorrow.  
   
Of the two, Spock appeared to be the one more affected by this result. Jim first cracked a wry smile, and then awkwardly dropped the corner of his lips under Spock's glare. "By Earth's standards, I've already lived a long life. Most people won't even survive their teenage years. Don't tell me that you're upset for me?”  
   
— “Vulcans do not get upset.”  
— “Vulcans do not get upset.”  
   
Jim and Spock said in perfect unison. The destructive power of Spock's Vulcan stare immediately raised a whole level, something Jim didn’t think was possible before. Jim, for his part, just laughed lightheartedly.  
   
It was just surviving. Looking back, he was surprised that he had already come this far.  
   
He was not willing to die, but there was no pressing need to live on either. He had struggled to survive alone and not give up all this way, but now suddenly, with the end so near, he was not afraid.  
   
   
   
Jim thought that he wouldn't sleep well. But after looking back this eventful day, from a bitter start with Spock, to feeling each other out while running for their lives, and then to the alliance formed at the end, he surprisingly had a sound sleep.  
   
Climbing out of the bed with a stretch and a yawn, Jim found that Spock wasn’t inside the ship. Breakfast was placed on a cabinet: a sandwich made perfectly according to human tradition, and even a glass of milk. Sandwich in his mouth, Jim walked out of the room. Spock was doing calculations using his PADD under the sunlight.  
   
Spock took off his eyes from the PADD and met Jim's. Jim's robe didn't look any better than yesterday; the sandwich in his mouth had bite marks on it. He was half-leaning on the door and waving at Spock. “Hey!”  
   
As if caught off guard, Spock lowered his head immediately and then swiftly raised his head again. “It is better for digestion to eat when sitting down. Please slow down your pace of eating.” His voice sounded strangely strained.  
   
_What's this weird atmosphere_ , Jim took a big bite and slowed his chewing speed. It felt like awkwardness filling the room, or like melting snow soaked into the ground and from which new seeds started sprouting.  
   
“What are you doing?”  
   
Clearly given up the effort to stop Jim from speaking while eating, Spock answered, “I'm making measurements about this titanium alloy column, and use the result as well as the blueprints of the flight craft to decide whether to begin repair work.”  
   
Spock reached for a tool box and started adjusting the size of the metal column they brought back as he spoke, while Jim held Spock's PADD and poked at the screen as if he owned it. “Let me see.”  
   
   
   
PADD screen showed the cross-section diagrams of the flight craft from different angles, profiles of pipe systems and other detail documents. Jim skimmed through the diagrams, couldn't help but beamed at Spock, working hard on the other side. “You're so good at this! I forgot to ask you, what's this beauty called? "  
   
“I designed and built this flight craft. The product serial code is LY26-227.”  
   
“Oh you unromantic Vulcan. She's gonna _cry_ for having that name!” Said Jim, walking towards Spock rather indignantly. “Are you going to place the column at the load bearing beam between area C2 and area F7… Column number 3?”  
   
“Yes.”  
   
“But why do you name the areas according to human tradition?” Jim realized that the numbers and letters on screen were all in English.  
   
Spock stopped his work at hand. “My mother often came to watch me work. She enjoyed it though she did not possess related physical or space science knowledge.”  
   
“What was her name?”  
   
“Amanda.”  
   
“So how about naming her Amanda? Much better than that LY-something-something, right?” Jim patted the shell of LY26-227. “Your mom had a beautiful name.”  
   
“Even though it is less efficient than the systemic naming system, I'm willing to accept this suggestion. In addition, I'm surprised by your ability to read unfamiliar graphs. I believe that your intelligence level surpasses most of your human peers.”  
   
“But not Vulcans?”  
   
“I believe that you would have the potential to achieve more than most Vulcans if you had received necessary education in your teenage years.”  
   
“I know it!” Jim laughed cheerfully. “Bones thought the same.”  
   
“Who is 'Bones'?” Spock slightly frowned. “It's the third time you've mentioned this name”  
   
“Bones',” Jim's smiled dimmed a little, "an old friend. He passed away some time ago.”  
   
“And he was proud of you, as my mother was proud for me?”  
   
“Bones…” Jim looked deep in memory. “Yeah, I think so, though he never called me smart or great or anything like that. He cursed all the time, at the stupidly of the government, at environmental radiation, at those mutated monsters. And he nagged me every day for not thinking twice before doing anything.  
   
“I wouldn't have lived till today if not for Bones. He was a doctor. Taught me how to bandage a wound, and all those wilderness first-aid basics. He was a few years older than me. But I don't even have ways of tracking time to know when he died. It's been a while."  
   
“I wish you could meet him. It would be so much fun. I bet you two would fight like cats and dogs.”  
   
“Fight like cats and dogs?”  
   
   
   
“Don't mind me, I’m talking nonsense." Jim quickly recovered from his wistful mood. “Are Vulcans all like you, smart enough to design spaceships and bold enough to do space travel all on your own?”  
   
“I believe that no Vulcan has the intention to explore a dying planet. Considering the current situation of Earth, travelling alone only increases the risk of accidents.”  
   
“So it was an impulsive decision?”  
   
“I am no Vulcan. I have mixed human-Vulcan heritage. It is unavoidable that I could not act solely on reason.”  
   
“What?” Jim looked confused. “Wait, what do you mean by that?”  
   
“I believe that my mother was the only one who was proud of me,” Spock said, then immediately started polishing the surface of the metal column. “I'm the only half-Vulcan in the universe, and the Vulcan Science Academy explicitly expressed their pity for my disadvantage from blood lineage during admission.”  
   
“So you were discriminated against by a bunch of pure-blood pointy-ears during college admission?” Jim was indignant. “They are a piece of shit. You must be thousands of times better than every single one of them!”  
   
“It is unreasonable to make judgements about people you have never observed yourself.” Spock replied nonchalantly to Jim's angry comments, but Jim would bet that the corners of Spock's eyes spoke otherwise.  
   
“Anyway, I'm already starting to hate them. They must be real proud of themselves, always keeping a poker face and holding their hands behind their backs." Jim twitched his lips.  
   
“They do like to hold their hands behind his back.”  
   
“ _I knew it!_ ”  
   
   
   
Spock was deeply conflicted.  
   
Conversations with Jim were unnecessary and irrelevant to his mission at hand. Jim's patent exaggerated and emotional expressions were not beneficial for making correct judgements. The priority at this point was to fix the flight craft. The faster he did it, the more likely he could extend Jim's life.  
   
But he could not help it.  
   
“I believe that our conversations are unnecessary.” Spock interrupted Jim's complaints about the Vulcan Science Academy. “I need to focus on the repair of the flight craft.”  
   
Jim opened his mouth, trying to say something, and swallowed it back. “I will go back to your ship then. I didn't have much time to explore last night. Also, she's called _Amanda_ now.”  
   
Spock watched as Jim disappeared into the entrance of _Amanda_ , finding it even harder to focus.  
   
   
   
Kept doing all his calculations till noon, Jim went out of the flight craft excitedly at the same time Spock put down his work. “I made some food using your replicator!”  
   
Spock followed him into the inside of the flight craft silently. There was traditional Vulcan food on the table.  
   
“You made Plomeek using the replicator,” Spock said.  
   
“I thought Vulcans didn't make useless descriptions of obvious facts.” Jim casually sat down. “I've been curious how your Vulcan food taste. Just sit down.”  
   
As he spoke, Jim took a spoon of soup and stuffed it into his mouth.  
   
“In terms of both taste and nutrition, Vulcan food is not suitable for human consumption. Some plants contain more copper than what humans are accustomed to. Humans might get poisoned if they consume too much of it.”  
   
“So will this vegetable soup I replicated turn me into pointy ears?”  
   
“…No.”  
   
“Then shut up. And start eating.” Jim said decisively and continued eating. “As a human from Earth, how could I ever miss a chance to taste alien food?”  
   
Spock sat down without a word, glancing at the replicator on the side. Even well aware of Jim’s incredible bases of knowledge and adaptive abilities, he could still be surprised by Jim now and then.  
   
“I didn’t break your replicator.” Jim noticed Spock’s line of sight. “I promise that it works as well as before.”  
   
“I have no intention to question your abilities,” Spock said, pensively.  
   
   
   
“So, how's your repair work going so far?” Jim didn't seem to notice Spock's expressions. “When can you leave?”  
   
“There had been some developments,” answered Spock, stirring a spoon clockwisely.  
   
“Problems?”  
   
“More accurately, a dilemma.” Spock looked up from the spoon.  
   
“You see the blueprints of the whole flight craft. Ideally, this whole flight craft can gain at least 50% of its energy from absorbing cosmic ray. But to launch successfully, the inner fuel storage needs at least 18.9% of energy to power the ship’s energy system to utilize energy from outer space during the flight.”  
   
“So?” Biting his fork, Jim tilted his head and looked at Spock.  
   
“The problem is with the titanium alloy column. Its tensile strength satisfies the requirement. If I transform it using tools available, it is highly probable to rebuild it, but -”  
   
“The energy to transform it would cost too much and _Amanda_ might not be able to take off.” Jim completed the sentence before Spock could finish.  
   
“Affirmative.”  
   
   
   
Putting down the spoon on the table promptly, Jim picked up the bowl and downed the rest of the soup in one swallow.  
   
“Call me a genius, I know a place that can help you with your little problem.”  
   
“I told you that it's bad for digestion to eat too fast,” Spock said.  
   
Jim looked like he was choked on his own breath, but he still bit back his immediate comeback, just murmured to himself ‘what the hell are you thinking,’ nonetheless caught clearly by the Vulcan on the other side.  
   
_I'm about to die. You're still worried about digestion._  
   
“About 2-hour away from this area are a dozen solar panels. Or were when I was last there. A few years ago when there were enough people, I gathered some to get electricity from those panels together, supported some electronic devices and water cleaning devices. It's been abandoned as there has been fewer and fewer people.”  
   
“Just because of the declining population?” Spock caught the slight frown on Jim's face.  
   
“Partly because of the declining population, partly because of those fucking rabbits that occupied that land.”  
   
“Rabbits?”  
   
“A horrible creature, insanely high breeding ability. Teeth could give you bloody holes, legs could break your bones.”  
   
“My mother told me that rabbit was a cute and ductile creature.” Spock could not judge whether Jim was exaggerating. “She told me that she once had a white short-ear rabbit.”  
   
“ _Once_.” Jim repeated the word. “Rabbits used to be timid and vegetarian and obedient, but now they are everywhere in groups like millions of swarming locusts on the move. And apparently, they've somehow decided that humans are edible too.”  
   
Spock frowned, “I have the impression that rabbits don't have large bodies.”  
   
Jim nodded, gesturing the size with his hands. “It is still kind of that size now, but there are just so many of them.”  
   
“Have you successfully passed the area occupied by rabbits?”  
   
“Nope. I would never take that risk.” Jim scratched his head. “I haven't been around that area for a while. But maybe you can wait here and I can give it a try?"  
   
“As you said, rabbits are a very aggressive and violent gregarious species. It’s a no-win strategy to go there alone,” Spock rejected Jim's suggestion resolutely. “I incline to make further research on other possible solutions.”  
   
“I don't believe in a 'no-win' scenario,” Jim insisted. “There must be a way to cross that rabbit forest!”  
   
“A low-possibility event might happen when the sample size is large enough, but it is unwise to take such risks based on this theory in every independent instance. Without outside interference, water flows to lower grounds; the sun rises and falls every day; river flows into the sea and water comes back by circulation. These scenarios are certain and inevitable.”  
   
“Water pumps can send water higher; sun rises and sets only once on the poles; dams can stop rivers. There will always be a solution to every problem!”  
   
“I'm not discussing with you the effect of interference by intelligent creatures in the universe. I'm just trying to explain to you that it's unwise to take such big risks.”  
   
“You started it.”  
   
“There are many things cannot be done by individuals.”  
   
Jim and Spock were like travelers on a log bridge from opposite directions, staring at each other. Neither wanted to step down.  
   
   
   
There were too many things that cannot be changed by one's effort or faith, like reviving a dying planet, like restoring a fallen civilization, or, like _revitalizing a deteriorating life._


	6. Chapter 6

As a result of the confrontation, neither Spock nor Jim slept well that night.  
   
After the light was turned to 0% for rest, Spock could still hear Jim rolling on his bed, as if he was sleeping on a hot plate. 12.7 minutes after the light was turned off, Jim broke the silence.  
   
“Pointy, are you asleep?”  
   
“I was not yet in deep sleep,” answered Spock, ‘because you never keep quiet’ implied in his tone.  
   
“I'm bored. Talk to me.”  
   
“Rest is needed to restore physical strength.”  
   
“I slept too much yesterday. Not tired now.”  
   
Spock slightly lifted his head, trying to see the hair that, now cleaned, seemed to be able to shine in the darkness. Sensing Spock's movement, Jim stopped him hurriedly. “Fine, fine, I'm sleepy now. Let's just go to sleep.”  
   
   
   
Spock felt much worse when he woke up.  
   
There was no one in the flight craft. Jim was gone. Knowing that humans had longer sleeping hours than Vulcans, Spock realized that Jim must have stupidly gone to risk his life for the energy source.  
   
Roughly scanned the inside of the flight craft, Spock found that almost nothing was gone. Jim didn't even bring any effective weapons. Spock started the sensor scan in his ship as fast as he could.  
   
“Scan the planet.”  
   
“Identification: Spock, administrator access. System started. Running examination. Report: insufficient energy.”  
   
“Scan Earth surface from south of this ship, plus-minus 15 degrees, for signals for adult male human.”  
   
“Scan started. Please wait. "  
   
Spock punched the launch pad with his right fist.  
   
Completely meaningless emotional ventilation. Uncontrollable anxiety. Spock had never lost self-control like this since he came of age. He pulled back his hand and stared at the small crack on the launch pad blankly, as if it wasn't him who just gave in to impulse and anger.  
   
“Result found: 12.6 degrees east to south, 13 kilometers away, adult male human life signals found.”  
   
Packing basic medical supplies, food, water and his phaser, Spock left the spacecraft.  
   
“Continue tracing this human signal, update his geographical location to my communication device every five minutes.”  
   
   
   
Mother once told Spock that humans are a deceptive species. They might lie for a benevolent reason, even to ones who are closet to them.  
   
This statement is perfectly proven by Jim.  
   
After arguing with Spock, Jim left angrily and stayed inside the ship alone while Spock performed measurements and calculations outside the flight craft. And the same Jim, who appeared to be emotionally disturbed, grabbed this opportunity and hacked into the operating system of the ship with exceptional calm so that he could leave without Spock noticing.  
   
Even the ‘I could not sleep’ was just an act to increase his chance to leave. Spock could see the incense to help Vulcan sleep burning in the corner.  
   
   
   
For someone who appeared to be impulsive and careless, Jim was in fact incredibly meticulous and thorough. He planned every step of the whole escape. Without any omission.  
   
Spock stood at the entrance of the ship; morning breeze crossed the open plains and slapped on Spock's face. Spock was distracted for a moment, his chest filled with an unfamiliar feeling. He could not name or place that emotion, only one thought remaining in his mind: _bring that deceptive human back_.  
   
   
   
Considering the obstacles that might lie on the path to Jim, Spock chose to go straight to the destination. Jim said that the place was occupied by rabbits, and according to mother, rabbits didn't have large sizes, Spock estimated that this creature should be like cockroach: not strong or dangerous as individuals.  
   
Spock thought so while he was running. He did not realize the actual destructive power of the creature called rabbit until he met a creature with long ears, back legs stronger than front legs. He immediately recognized it as the creature Jim spoke of.  
   
There were five rabbits, coming well-prepared and attacking Spock one after another. Spock quickly realized the advantages this creature had: fur the same as color of the environment acting as an excellent disguise, great running and jumping abilities, and impressive strength of the rear legs. Going at high speed himself, Spock didn't even notice where they had come from.  
   
   
   
Surrounded by the rabbits, Spock grabbed the neck of one rabbit jumping on his face and used it to defect the other attacking rabbits, broke the spine of the rabbit and threw it far away. Spock frowned at the touch of the creature: a layer of firm scales replaced fur around its essential parts. It did not make sense from an evolution standpoint.  
   
There were four left. Not knowing whether this creature could somehow communicate with the larger group, Spock decided to finish this as quickly as possible, kicking away the nearest and quickly getting some distance and killing the other three with his phaser.  
   
The rabbit he kicked away was still twitching on the ground. Spock received the scheduled location message sent by the ship. Jim's position didn't seem to change much. Spock became more anxious despite himself. Jim might be injured, or might be surrounded - neither situation was particularly desirable.  
   
   
   
On his way to find Jim, Spock encountered two other groups of rabbits. When he reached where Jim was shown to be, the number of rabbit groups increased significantly, but Spock was starting to learn how to avoid those rabbits. 

There was no grass or trees on the empty ground, only remains of collapsed buildings. GPS showed that he and Jim were almost at the same position, but he still could not see the supposedly obvious Jim.  
   
Spock looked around the environment - no traces of fighting or blood, his heart rate recovering from the high-speed running. There was sound of steps from far away in multiple directions. Though he was holding his breath and listening carefully to sound far away, Spock did not fail to notice the uneven footsteps from behind.  
   
When the sound behind approached Spock, Spock turned around promptly, body reacting before his mind in danger. When he finally snapped out, Jim was trying to get rid of his hands, face deep red. Spock immediately released his hands on Jim's neck.  
   
Jim held his neck with one hand, breathing heavily and heart still fluttering with fear. He pointed a direction and said breathlessly, “that way…Let's go.”  
   
   
   
Spock didn't start immediately.  
   
Jim didn't look too well. Wearing his old ragged t-shirt again, Jim looked like he had rolled on the ground for half an hour, his exposed skin showing bruises, cuts and wounds. His standing pose looked unnatural, with his whole weight on his left leg, his right leg hidden under bloody pants, hiding anything that might be wrong.  
   
Still recovering from almost being choked to death, Jim coughed hard while patting his chest.  
   
Spock inhaled deeply. Sounds of steps got louder and denser; a group of rabbits were surrounding them. Jim's expression told Spock that he knew how to escape.  
   
Without hesitation, Spock stepped forward and carried Jim on his shoulder, running towards the direction Jim just pointed.  
   
Before Jim snapped out of shock, he was already head down on Spock’s shoulder. He coughed a few times and made some weak objections half-heartedly, mumbling some curses at the pointy-ears control-freak's disregard of his dignity.  
   
He was aware that his little life was far more important than his dignity.  
   
   
   
Spock supported Jim's back with one hand, threw the phaser towards Jim and strode out of the rabbits that were surrounding them.  
   
Jim quieted down and used the phaser to shoot the rabbits chasing behind.  
   
Spock felt the pressure from behind lessoned a lot - Jim's shootings appeared to be effective. Spock slightly paused his steps, right hand moving Jim off his shoulder, left hand lifting Jim's legs to carry Jim in his arms and allowing Jim to face the front.  
   
"Fuck.”  
   
Jim swore, his hand not slowing a bit. He opened a bloody road for Spock, then tugged Spock's neck to shoot rabbits behind his back, which continued pursuing them despite their falling fellow creatures.  
   
“Damn those rabbits.” Jim continued to point directions for Spock to go. Under their combined power and perfect cooperation, the two finally reached a place with a metal cover on the ground. “Hold the handle and open it. Let me down.”  
   
Spock followed Jim's directions. After Jim went into the dark tunnel, he looked around the environment with alarm and followed Jim inside.  
   
   
   
Jim limped in the darkness and clapped his hands. Voice-activated light flashed several times before finally lighting up. Spock looked around. The place was clearly constructed by humans, deep hallway extending to the endless darkness inside.  
   
“The shelter was built by the same rich delusional guy before the war." Clearly enjoying the role as a tour guide, Jim walked inside. “He believed that human as a selfish short-sighted species must bring our own doom. So he built this underground shelter using his own money, with air circulation system, necessary medicines and water cleaning device. He even brought his family and friends and some animals to live a month down here as a test trial.  
   
“Of course it didn't work out, the inner ecosystem collapsed after a dozen days, but he still considered it some kind of a success, even hired more architects and ecologists to research about it.  
   
“All the antibiotics and consumables stored here are gone now, but electricity generation devices and solar boards should be working — even if they aren't, you can fix the ship, it shouldn't be too hard for you to fix them all, right?”  
   
Dragging an injured leg, Jim walked into the shelter with Spock as he spoke.  
   
Switching the electric brake, Jim collapsed on a dust-covered chair, exhaled a long breath. “Why don't you talk?”  
   
   
   
Spock didn't answer, just took out the medical supplies he packed in a hurry. "Are any of your leg bones broken?"  
   
Jim stretched his right leg, wincing at the pain. “Not that serious I guess. I went through a bomb shelter on the way here, but the tunnel collapsed when I was half way through. I was accidentally hit…Ouch!”  
   
Not reacting at all to Jim's cry, Spock lifted Jim’s blood-soaked pants. The wound was badly bruised and swelled, but no white bones could be seen. Examining from Jim's calf to his ankle and finding no fractures or misalignments, Spock's dark expression did not lighten but even darkened a bit.  
   
“I wanted to ask you the last time you used it. it's _fascinating_. Can you really use it on me？”  
   
Spock slapped Jim's attentive hand and applied the dermal regenerator to Jim's leg.  
   
“You Vulcans are quite scary when you're angry.” Noting that Spock didn't speak at all, Jim could only let Spock manipulating his injured leg gloomily.  
   
\- “It's unreasonable to risk your own life so that I could go back to my home planet.”  
\- “Vulcans do not get angry!”  
   
They spoke at the same time, but the flippant expression froze on Jim's face as he realized that he guessed wrong. He didn't really know what expression to put on his face, to hide the fact that he was directly hit in his heart by Spock's response.  
   
Releasing Jim's treated leg, Spock handed him a chunk of sealed something.  
   
“Compressed food. Eat it slowly.”  
   
   
   
Like a child who had been schooled, Jim put his legs together and rubbed the ground, and open the packet and took a large bite. Jim murmured something, words blurring as he chewed the wood-like food.  
   
“I've lived long enough. Everybody died. And I can't go much further.”  
   
Spock heard every word clearly. Helplessness overcame initial anger and frustration. He sat by Jim's side, not looking him directly in the eye. “You _never_ intended to come with me.”  
   
“Haha.” Jim laughed drily, swallowing all the food in his mouth. “My planet has died long ago. What you're seeing now is only her remaining corpse. I'm alive now, but humans as a species is already gone.”  
   
“That is not a sufficient reason for not willing to live on.” Spock clenched his fists.  
   
“Bones told me before he died. _Carry on, carry on, Jimbo_. He just stared at me like that, told me not to give up.” Jim shook his head. "But I'm tired, Spock. I'm tired.”  
   
“My mother mentioned a human mental condition called 'Survivor Guilt.'"  
   
“That might be it. But even if I could arrive on Vulcan, I'll only forever remain an alien, a stranger in a strange land. Like a plant without its root: it might not die immediately if you stick it in water, but that doesn't really matter. It can't change what's going to happen.”  
   
“There are many aquatic plants on earth, and there are some terrestrial plants that can grow new roots in water.” Spock refuted dryly, perfectly aware that he was using the same tactic Jim used just a day before. Indeed, Jim smiled at him understandingly.  
   
“You must live on, go back to that Vulcan with your fellow pointy ears.” Jim patted Spock’s stiffening shoulder.  
   
“Don't miss me too much. Just think of me once or twice a year, you know, as _the_ illogical human on the earth. This way, it feels like I actually lived, like I left something in the world.”


	7. Chapter 7

Time froze the moment Jim's voice dropped; neither Spock nor Jim spoke another word again. Jim began to fidget in his chair, feeling as if he had failed miserably at something, guilt eating him up.  
   
   
   
“Aren't you curious how I got here?” Jim tried to break the silence.  
   
“I'm more ‘curious’ as to how we can leave.”  
   
“Vulcans are _so_ good at small talks.”  
   
“It's unnecessary to engage in casual conversation solely to avoid silence or to serve other social functions."  
   
"Then, how about ‘where do those rabbits that I killed so many come from?’ Or, 'how did you fool my icy cold AI system and make her let you leave, and successfully come here and find me?'”  
   
Seeing that Spock wasn’t going to respond, Jim continued.  
   
“Rabbits were once at the bottom of the food chain, those little timid grazers. Have you noticed the layer of scales on their neck on your way here? That's the result of genetically modified animal experiments. They used to maintain their numbers just by breeding, but in this environment, they need to attack everyone they see to survive, just like us. The shortage of food has also greatly reduced their numbers.  
   
“By the way, why did you kill them? Didn't you talk all about the value of biodiversity? Surely the genes of those rabbits are important too. But now, your robe is full of rabbit blood, and your phaser is set on kill.”  
   
“I did not think of this aspect at the time.” _I was too busy finding you._  
   
“…Oh”  
   
“You should rest for a while.” Spock picked up the packages Jim left behind. “It's good for your recovery.”  
   
   
   
“I don't want to sleep.”  
   
“I'll keep monitoring your vitals to make sure that nothing goes wrong during your sleep.”  
   
“I'm not afraid that I won't ever wake up!” Jim hurriedly defended himself, but chose to compromise in the end, walking toward the bedroom across from the hall and lying down on the dusty bed. “I'm resting, you see. In fact, I only got up after I saw you from a periscope in the shelter. You can go there too, to see if those long ears have left, or check how to remove the solar panels from the ceiling.”  
   
Spock followed Jim into the room and sat at his bedside.  
   
“So what is it now?” Jim patted the pillow to make it softer and placed it on his back, half-lying on the bed. “Want to discuss life goals and universe philosophy with me?”  
   
“Negative. You should take some rest.”  
   
“Well then,” realizing that he didn't want Spock to leave, Jim quickly changed the subject. “Tell me something interesting.”  
   
“Do humans have a tradition of bedtime stories?” Spock slightly lifted his brow. “My mother insisted to tell me illogical human stories before I went to sleep when I was young.”  
   
“Of course not bedtime stories.” Jim felt a huge threat to his ‘masculinity.’  
   
He'd like to believe that he was not some princess trapped on a high tower waiting to be saved, but he was first heroically rescued and carried in someone's arms, and now, was he asking for a bedtime story? Should he wait for a good-night kiss and threaten to roll on the ground and cry otherwise?  
   
“Just tell me something interesting.”  
   
“Vulcans are not interesting.”  
   
“Things you experienced. I told you about Bones.” Jim straightened the pillow sliding down behind his back. “Things you like.”  
   
   
   
“My mother didn't speak much except when she was with me,” Spock started.  
   
“Your English is excellent. I didn't even realize that you were a strange alien at first.”  
   
“My mother often went to our interior courtyard to watch the sky at night.”  
   
“Interior courtyard? Your family's pretty rich then.”  
   
“The cooler weather at night is more comfortable for humans.” Spock shoot Jim a look. “She told me that Earth was the most beautiful planet she had seen. That it looked blue from space. Unlike Vulcan, the night sky of Earth was full of bright stars. And there was a natural moon changing shape over time.”  
   
“You really love her,” Jim sighed.  
   
“She was a typical human. She kept many human traditions even though she was living with all the Vulcans. I used to have Christmas gifts every year, bed-time stories, good-night kisses and hugs every night.  
   
“When I couldn't control myself and engaged in a physical confrontation with a peer, she … She said she was proud of me.  
   
“Now I think about it, when she watched the sky at night, she was thinking of her home planet, though I'm sure that she could not see Earth from Vulcan. She was not a soldier, but she left her home forever for a government secret operation and bravely survived and had a new life on an entirely strange planet. She was an exceptional woman.”  
   
“You fought with other children when you were a child?” Jim asked, trying to lighten to mood. He tried very hard to imagine a little Spock fighting other little pointy ears.  
   
“I couldn't fully control my emotions and impulses at the time due to, in their words, ‘disadvantage of the half-human blood’.”  
   
“So they bullied you, called you names and then you beat the hell out of them?” Jim laughed. “Not just Amanda, _I_ am proud of you.”  
   
“You said before that you had no reason to live on now that human civilization was gone.”  
   
“Hey, I didn't say it like that. I'm just, I'm just well aware of my own health conditions.” Jim rolled his yes. “Don't change the topic.”  
   
“I cannot find where I belong either.” Spock looked up at the ceiling.  
   
“I am the only remaining half-Vulcan now, neither a complete Vulcan nor a human. Vulcan could never truly accept me; Earth is destroyed and my mother died, so there is no way for me to learn the human civilization either. My father once said that I would always be a child of two worlds. But in fact, I am only peeping the two worlds through the gap in between.”  
   
“If those Vulcan fossils don't accept you, it's their problem not yours, believe me.” Jim straightened up, changing from a half-lying posture to sitting. “It's absolutely _illogical_ to judge and discriminate someone by their blood lineage. I told you the first time I met you: you are the _best_ thing that has ever happened to me. Well, tied with Bones.”  
   
“There is no tie for ‘best’.”  
   
“Then after Bones.” Realizing that Spock was half-joking, Jim cracked a smile knowingly. “However much I love you, I've only known you for two and a half days. You're not gonna replace Bones in my heart with that short of time.”  
   
   
   
“I once passed through a planet full of red plants. The native residents were a human-like creature. They were in the phase of prehistoric civilization.”  
   
“What?” Jim didn't immediately follow the change of subject.  
   
“‘Something interesting’,” Spock replied. “They were a gregarious species with height close to humans and an interesting religion. They were white from head to toe, used yellow tunic to cover their bodies, and they had developed basic language.”  
   
“You remained there to observe them?” Jim’s eyes lit up.  
   
“Negative. Soon after I arrived on the planet, there was a massive volcano eruption and the whole species went extinct.”  
   
“Shit.” Jim threw a punch at his own thigh.  
   
“Interfering with the natural development of alien civilizations is against the prime directive for Vulcan space travel."  
   
“But they might continue to live otherwise! There were gone just like humans, and even far earlier than us.” Jim was deflated. “I'm not blaming you. It's just such a pity. I'm sure you didn't have any means to save them."  
   
“Indeed.”  
   
“I wish I could travel with you. If I could fly a giant ship in space like your father, I could definitely find a way to save them."  
   
_This does not comply with the internal directive of Vulcans. The guiding principle of the Vulcan fleet is to observe and explore, not to engage or interfere. In humans' words, Vulcans should not play God. We are only observers and researchers._  
   
“I believe you.”  
   
   
   
“How good it would be if this stupid war never had happened. Maybe we could spend more money and time on space research, developing space science like Vulcans and explore planets everywhere. And then, maybe, maybe we could start a union with Vulcans and even species on other planets, share our knowledge and resources. Maybe there will be more mixed races individuals like you.  
   
“Though I know you Vulcans don't like day-dreaming... But humans are an imaginative species, you know,” Jim immediately followed on in self-mockery, knowing what he said was too far-fetched.  
   
“I've only seen two humans so far, my mother and you. Even though the sample size is too small to give an accurate conclusion, but in my opinion, humans are a bright and vigorous species. I believe that if the history had not been so tragic, we would have met in space,” Spock responded, head lowering.  
   
"If there were a federation of planets, you know, something like a federal government, we could even be on the same ship! We could go where no one has gone before."  
   
“I hope that could happen, though I doubt that Vulcans would be willing to join the federation.” _Hope is illogical._  
   
“I can be your superior and protect you, and you can do all the science you want by my side - don’t do that face, you look exactly like a science nerd. If I were the captain, I would never allow that planet to be destroyed by volcanos. I would do everything to find a way to save them.”  
   
“I believe you have the ability to do that, Jim.” _Suppositions are illogical._  
   
   
   
“Well, if it's okay with you, I'd like to sleep. I'm pretty tired now.” Jim patted Spock's shoulder. But Spock couldn't move his eyes away from Jim.  
   
“I'm curious about how you got into this area.”  
   
“That's easy. I know this place from inside out. That war shelter was my playground when I was young. I also know a lot about those rabbits. Their vision is better for things far away. They couldn't see clearly when there's too much light, and they aren't that good at climbing.”  
   
“I hope you could explain how you managed to control the AI system on _Amanda_.”  
   
“Well, I have a particular set of skills.”  
   
“The time you were alone in the flight craft was only about three hours. I don't believe you could understand and hack my operating system in that short amount of time."  
   
“Don't be a sore loser!” Jim mumbled in protest, but Spock was not moved at all.  
   
“Fine. I fooled that stone-voice AI of yours.”  
   
“You fooled my Artificial Intelligence system?”  
   
“Yep. I talked _sense_ to her, and convinced her to give me the highest access level just below yours.”  
   
“How?”  
   
“Just said a couple of lines.” Jim's voice lowered significantly as he spoke.  
   
“Please explain in detail.”  
   
“Why do you have so many questions? It was just some lies!” Jim's could feel his ears getting hot. He slid under his blanket and covered his face with its corner.  
   
“Are you currently experiencing the human emotion called embarrassment?”

“ _No!_ ”  
   
“Your face and side of the neck turned slightly red as a result of widening of blood vessels due to increased hormones under stress or excitement. It shows that you're hiding something.”  
   
“I told her I was your boyfriend…” Jim hid further into the blanket, his words blurring.  
   
“You told her _what_?”  
   
“I said you brought me in, without any reservations; we had dinner together; I even wore your clothes. So clearly there's something between us. She judged that my arguments were sound so gave me the access!” Jim sneaked a peek from under the blanket to, and then quickly went back into the blanket.  
   
Spock was quiet for a moment, remembering her mother's counsel. “Humans are indeed a deceptive species.”  
   
“It's not _my_ fault that your AI is so gullible.”  
   
“This reminds me to confirm whether you have concealed the truth in other occasions.”  
   
“Fine, I lied to you,” Jim climbed out of the bed and confessed solemnly, “when I told you that you had an adorable mutation the first time I saw you. I was only flattering you.”  
   
“Vulcans are contact telepaths.”  
   
“So?” Jim finally realized what that meant, immediately retreated. “Don't touch me!”  
   
   
   
“I have no intention to force you.”  
   
Jim stared at Spock defensively. The two looked at each other, as if they had a transparent wall between them and an army of guns and cannons behind. Finally, Jim sighed.  
   
“Isn't life too hard to always know everything?”


	8. Chapter 8

“What is your plan?”  
   
“I thought you Vulcans, oh _half-Vulcan_ , are all know-it-alls.”  
   
“No being is omniscient. However, it’s useless for you to hide anything from me. No matter what stupid things you try to do that might put your life in danger, I will stop you.”  
   
“That is not stupid.” Jim collapsed on the bed, completely relaxed.  
   
“You think that the probability of both of us successfully leaving Earth together is low. So you decided to sacrifice yourself for a chance for me to leave Earth, and that’s why you pretended that you had lost the will to live on.”  
   
“How do you know?”  
   
   
   
Spock went over every interaction he had with Jim in his head. “The first time I mentioned that we leave together, you tried to shake hands with me.”  
   
“So?”  
   
“Humans use hand-shaking as confirmation that a deal is made.”  
   
“That easy?”  
   
“You are not that kind of person.”  
   
“What kind?” Jim looked actually confused now. He paid little attention to the blanket over his body, turning on bed and making his clothes and sheets messier.  
   
“The first time we met, you continued attacking me even though my strength far exceeded you; you did not give up testing me after you were held captive; you did not let go of me when I was about to fall off the building; you are willing to learn new things even with your terrible living conditions - _You are not the kind to give up_.”  
   
Spock said, stood up and tucked the corners of the sheet that Jim messed up back to their correct positions, patted away the visible dust, tried to flattened the folds that had been there for years, covered the blanket evenly over Jim’s body, and even leaned down over Jim’s head and straightened Jim’s pillow.  
   
_Thump, thump, thump._ Jim felt what was made to pump blood was about to jump out of his chest and dance to the gods; Pointy’s whole face was filling his vision completely. This was far, _far_ closer than the safe distance.  
   
“Wow, what are you doing right now? Tucking my blanket for me, _mom_?” Jim tried his best to resist.  
   
“Please stop using this inappropriate name and start resting now. I will thoroughly examine the shelter to see if there are any devices that could be used to repair and restore _Amanda_ ’s energy storage, and try to fix the water purifying device to ensure our water supply. It is normal to need a large amount of sleep and energy after using dermal regenerator.”  
   
“You know that I can help with a lot of that.”  
   
“Considering that you have lived solely on your own for so long, I could understand that you are used to take on all the work by yourself. But now we have two people here, it’s more efficient and effective for you to rest.”  
   
That’s a “you’ve got me” in Vulcan.  
   
“Are you going to tell me good night now?” Jim looked up at Spock, teasing him.  
   
“It is inappropriate to say good night at this time of the day," Spock speculated that Earth is currently at noon. “If you wish, I will tell you _sweet dreams_.”  
   
Goddamn, Spock might actually give him a teddy bear and kiss his forehead next. Jim kept the sleeping position that Spock put him in, straighter than pose he had ever had in his life, and watched Spock went out of the room, before he could find anything to say to save his dying masculinity.  


 

When Jim woke up again, Spock’s eyes were fixed on him, unmoving, unblinking, his back still. Jim couldn’t help but wiped his face, straightened up. “What time is it now?”  
   
“Sky is already dark.” Spock turned and walked out of the bedroom. “Water purifying devices are still functional. I’ve already searched through the whole area. Now you should eat dinner.”  
   
“Aren't you supposed to say something like ‘now it’s Earth time 18 hour 22 minute 58 second’?” Jim followed Spock out of the room.  
   
“It’s unrealistic to leave the shelter right now, so knowing the exact time is not useful.”  
   
Spock gave Jim the compressed food he brought and the water he just purified. Jim found out that Spock even somehow improved the sanitary condition of the shelter. Water was filled in a blue plastic cup; Jim held the cup using two hands, amazed at how the water could be this unbelievably clean.  
   
Jim carelessly sat down and downed the water, amused that even though this pointy-ear Spock was good at spotting his lies, he was not a good liar himself - look at how abrupt that change of subject was.  
   
“How long did I sleep?”  
   
“Don’t speak while you are eating,” Spock repeated weakly.  
   
“Stop bullshitting. Your expression tells it all. Just tell me what stupid things you did again.”  
   
“What? Still not talking?” Jim completely ignored Spock’s counsel, downed all the water, and stuffed the wood-like food into his mouth. “Not something like ‘Vulcans do not have expressions,’ or ‘Vulcans do not do stupid things’? You can’t hide it from me.”  
   
“I performed a superficial level mind meld while you were in deep sleep.”  
   
“Didn’t you promise that you wouldn’t force me to do things I don’t want to do?”  
   
“Tricorder is too huge to bring along. I attempted to examine your health condition from a mind touch; I did not probe your mind.”  
   
“And?” Jim chewed the food in his mouth carelessly. “Not good I guess, from your expression."  
   
Spock frowned, Jim needed a large medical device for a comprehensive examination, and a completely clean and radiation-free environment to recover his over-exhausted body. He could feel that Jim was like a machine that had not been repaired for years and still working, all parts were crunching, a second away from a complete collapse.  
   
“Us two, there are four endings that could happen to us,” Jim pointed a finger to demonstrate. “One, we both leave successfully; two, you leave and I die; three, we both fail; or the last one, I live and you die. For the last situation, I’ll have no way to go to your pointy ears star, so I won’t live for too long anyway. Back to ending three.”  
   
“It could not be the reason to place my survival above yours.”  
   
“Huh, so stubborn.”  
   
   
   
“I observed the surrounding environment while you were asleep and found dense rabbit groups nearby. I need to know more about the nature of this creature to design an escape plan.”  
   
“I only know that as the war was developing, people’s hatred for the war grew too. Governments spent all their money on war and could not control the big businesses any more. Non-governmental organizations and groups emerged and began researches they thought could be the solution.  
   
“Before, most people were against doing gene-editing experiments on animals and especially mammals. But there were some successes during that time. They kept most of their natural traits: they have good night vision, excellent physical abilities, vegetarian diet. Except for their temper.  
   
“At the beginning they were effective meat source for humans, but as time went on they became more aggressive. They would attack anyone they meet, and that was to protect themselves too.”  
   
“Why are they gathering around this area?”  
   
“Somewhere farther away, there is a dam that holds back water. I have to admit that the construction work really is something. The system is designed to release water twice a month, and even now, there will be water around here whenever that time comes. The water can help those plants that are eaten all by rabbits to grow out again, and drown another dozen rabbits in the process.”  
   
“I will find a feasible plan. The shelter must be empty for a long time without anyone using the energy here, so the energy stored in the battery connected to the solar panels should be enough for me to fuse the metal column we brought back to repair _Amanda_.” Spock continued where Jim left off.  
   
“Right, we only need to leave this underground shelter successfully. Easy as a piece of cake.”  
   
“It is not easy…You’re using the human expression called sarcasm.”  
   
“Wow. You really _are_ a master of human expression.”  
   
“…What was your original plan?”  
   
“You already swore that you would definitely stop me, pretty useless to bring it up now.” Jim didn’t want to answer the truth.  
   
“Your plan might serve as an inspiration for me.”  
   
“I planned to hold up a sign at the entrance of the shelter. Before you got here, I would have just enough time to get to the control room of the dam to empty the dam and let the water crush everything on its path. This way, as long as you stay long enough in the shelter, you can get the solar panels out without any obstacles. I just didn’t think that I would hurt my leg, or that you would be that fast.”  
   
“You _were certain_ that I would come.”  
   
“Don’t dwell on it, _you_ were certain that I wouldn’t give up. You’re welcome.”  
   
“I do not have such plan.”  
   
“Can’t you let me have a quiet meal?” Jim wiped the food off his mouth with his sleeve, trying to close the subject. “Lesson after meal.”  
   
“It is feasible.”  
   
Jim rolled his eyes at the suddenly-ready-to-teach-a-lesson Spock.  
   
   
   
“Rabbits are edible animals?”  
   
“Yep.” Jim’s mouth was full of food, face expressing _so what_.  
   
“We do not have effective devices to scan them now. When we get back to _Amanda_ , with necessary examining and cleaning device, we might use rabbits as food.”  
   
“Why are you talking about it right now?”  
   
“You don’t want a ‘lesson.’ If I’m not misunderstanding it, humans have the tradition to talk about the future during meal.”  
   
“You eat meat?”  
   
“Vulcans are omnivore in tradition. But after the ‘Time of Awakening,’ we followed Surak’s philosophy and became vegetarians. However, considering the current situation of Earth, I believe that you have not gotten a normal meal for a long time.”  
   
“So I’m eating alone?”  
   
“Affirmative.”  
   
Jim chewed the compressed food with little water content. While deeply missing the taste of fresh meat, he did find the cute expressions on that expressionless pointy ears a good enough distraction. He even had an impulse to jump him and kiss that clean, sometimes greenish face, including that light red lips.  
   
Wait. _Wait, wait, wait. How did I get here?_  
   
   
   
“You finished eating,” Spock stated. “Now I’m going to teach you a lesson.”  
   
“God, have mercy on me.” Jim was shocked out of from his musings and cried.  
   
“It’s me who is going to teach you a lesson, not some fictional deity. It’s illogical to beg a god for mercy.”  
   
Spock’s facial expressions were soft. If he weren’t a Vulcan, Jim would say that the subtle curve at the corner of his lips betrayed him, that he was smiling. Spock was _joking_. Jim finally realized that the Vulcan was deliberately teasing him.  
   
“That’s not funny!” Jim half-heartedly punched Spock’s shoulder.  
   
Spock leaned on one side as Jim’s fist landed as he played along and silently swore to himself - a lesson is unnecessary. He just need to make himself the safety net for Jim and stop him from doing anything that might endanger his own life.

 

“So we can only wait for the flood to end and leave then.” Jim concluded. “This place is too boring.”  
   
“This shelter demonstrates the extent of human intelligence and meticulousness. It greatly helps me to learn the minds of human beings.”  
   
“If only those intelligent and meticulous humans remember to store some ice creams and alcohol under the ground.”  
   
“In fact, there are a lot of tools here, necessary cutters and polishers, raw material and energy storage devices.”  
   
Something flashed Jim’s mind, he jumped up. “Good for you, Spock! I know what to do. Follow me.”


	9. Chapter 9

Jim’s excitement didn’t last too long, as he took a big stride but almost hit the ground. The only reason he did not fall down entirely was Spock’s hand on his elbow.  
   
“Just tripped. I’m fine.” Jim gestured Spock to release his hand tightly holding onto his own and gave him a comforting smile. He stood up and steadily walked towards the workshop in the shelter.  
   
Spock did not say a word as he watched Jim go inside.  
   
Even though he saw clearly that there were no obstacles on Jim’s path on the plain ground. Jim fell down either due to a sudden loss of control or sharp pain, and he could not bear to think over either.  
   
   
   
Spock did not expect that Jim’s ridiculous plan was not entirely impractical.  
   
“There was once a really popular movie, a rich guy was kidnapped by a bunch of terrorists to make weapons for them, but he ended up making a metal suit and flying away.”  
   
Spock listened to Jim tell the superhero story of how a genius playboy billionaire inventor made a metal suit that was “so cool, so amazing, so awesome,” and used some kind of nuclear reactor as the energy source.  
   
“I regret to inform you that, with the limited resources in this shelter, it’s impossible to replicate that fictional human fantasy.  
   
“We do not have the measuring instruments with desired accuracy, or heating conditions to cut and melt metals, or energy to move high-density metals and a human at exceedingly high speed, or proper protection for human bodies.”  
   
“So how can these problems be solved?”  
   
“You believe that I can solve the problems?” Spock slightly lifted his brow.  
   
“We already agreed on the plan: when we explore the universe together in the future, I will be the one responsible for coming up with this kind of brilliant ideas, you will be the one responsible for making practical plans and implementing those ideas.” Hands on his knees and half kneeling, Jim looked over the dust-filled workshop.  
   
Spock forced himself to watch Jim rubbing his knees as if they were hurting a lot.  
   
“We don’t need to completely copy the depictions in the old human movie.” Spock compared the resources at hand and the plan in mind and made calculations. “We only need find a half-sealed container that is large enough to accommodate both of us and the battery, use the energy inside the battery as power, take off the motor to make a simple transmission system and make an object that could help us move faster than the rabbits outside.”  
   
“So your solution is for us to make an electric car _by hand_.”  
   
“This description depends on how broadly you define the term ‘electric car.’”  
   
“Then sure,” Jim said, voice full of confidence and joy. “Let’s start!”  
   
   
   
Bright LED light hanging above, Jim was legs crossed sitting on the ground, using a plier to dismantle the electric system. His face was covered with black oil.  
   
Without a PADD, Spock could only use the thin yellow scratch paper to design and calculate the most stable and efficient solution with all the resources they had. They were each busying working on their own; room was filled with the sound of Jim tightening the screw and Spock writing on paper.  
   
Jim disconnected the second battery, and tiredly lay on the ground, hands and legs stretched out, and began to bother Spock.  
   
“Pointy, we make a hell of a team, don’t you say?”  
   
“You can have some rest now if you feel tired.”  
   
“I just slept till dinner time, and now you’re making me go back to sleep?” Jim was frustrated. “That is species discrimination!”  
   
“A human’s physical strength and stamina are below that of a Vulcan’s. It is merely recognizing the fact of biological differences.” Spock did not stop the work at hand. “It’s more reasonable for you to rest instead of disrupting my work.”  
   
Jim sat up, continuing to separate the wires and label each type with tapes. “I want to go to Vulcan with you, not to be a good-for-nothing and hold you back.”  
   
“You are not holding me back. In fact, you are now in front of me. You’re not good-for-nothing either. This whole plan is based on your idea.”  
   
Jim signed with resignation and scratched his head. “How stupid of me to try to make sense with you.”  
   
After he finished, Jim stood up and stretched himself.  
   
“I’m going to bed now. I’ll help you in the morning.”  
   
Spock nodded, watching Jim leaving the messy workroom in light steps.  
   
Jim deliberately kept his steps light, but he could not hide the unnatural motion when his legs alternated and the sudden stiffness when his right leg was supporting his weight. Spock suspected that Jim was suffering from great pain in his leg right now. Drowsiness symptoms masked his debility and fatigue.  
   
   
   
Spock took a deep breath. He was fighting with time, fighting with fate, trying to save Jim from the abyss before death completely consumed him, come hell or high water.  
   
So when Jim woke up the next day, he was beyond angry.  
   
   
   
Just one night, Spock almost finished _all_ the work. An unbelievably ugly electric car appeared in the workshop.  
   
No roof, no seats, a rail in the front for support, ropes serving as protection on two sides; the battery at the bottom could be seen from the gaps between iron plates; the transmission connected the battery and crude wheels. The motor Jim took off last night was securely attached to the bottom.  
   
“I thought there at least needed to be a steering wheel?”  
   
“What is a steering wheel?” Spock looked completely serious.  
   
“Something that controls the direction. Or accelerator? Brake? Clutch? Why am I not seeing anything?”  
   
“The direction and speed control functions are included in the control panel.”  
   
Spock handed over Jim a removable computer, “I programmed it to be the central control of this transportation device.”  
   
Jim was too shocked at what could barely be called a car to scold Spock for being an asshole who took all the credit. He started examining the details curiously and imagining what Vulcan vehicles look like.  
   
“So the powerful Vulcan finished everything. What do I need to do?”  
   
“I observed the environment outside from the periscope and that the sky was clear. We will charge all the batteries and leave at noon, when the rabbits are at their least active. What you need to do is to eat on schedule, help me remove the connections between the battery and solar panels, and leave this place with me.”  
   
“Wow, such a huge task.”  
   
“Sarcasm is unnecessary.”  
   
Jim looked at all the things Spock did in one night, helplessness overwhelming him. Fighting and arguing with Spock could only show that he was scapegoating him.  
   
   
   
Jim didn’t rest well last night. His body had been complaining all the suffering it went through these years.  
   
With broken bone that did not have enough time to recover, wound that was only roughly disinfected and stitched up, with irregular food and rest, unsanitary water source and living condition, he was just bargaining his time with Death relying solely on his adrenaline.  
   
Jim woke up at the coldest point of the night, covering in cold sweat, bones hurting like being stuck with needles made with ice. In a daze, he opened his eyes and saw Spock sitting at his bedside, watching him. He tried to remember what he had just dreamed of - it might be the first time he was Vulcan-nerve-pinched, or the time he watched Spock getting up when they survived their first adventure, or all the times he chatted with Spock, talking about their pasts, exchanging unfunny jokes.  
   
Jim could not tell much in his dream. He reached out to Spock, murmuring Spock’s name unintelligibly.  
   
Dreams were indeed more generous to him. The I-don’t-shake-hands Spock held his hand and wiped the cold sweat on his forehead. Even his pain was wiped away.  
   
Jim could see the rope fate put around his neck tightening.  
   
“Spock -”  
   
“I’m here.”  
   
See, Pointy in his dream was much cuter, and much more gentle.  
   
“I don’t want to die.”  
   
“You will not die.” Spock put his spare hand on Jim’s cheek.  
   
“I don’t _fucking_ want to die.”  
   
“…I know.” In his sleepy eyes, Spock looked surprisingly vulnerable.  
   
“I want to explore the universe with you. Galaxies outside the milky way. Vulcan. Aliens…I have never even left the country. In the time of war, all I can to is read books.”  
   
“We will.”  
   
“I don’t want to die.”  
   
“You will not die, _I promise_.”  
   
“Alright,” Jim laughs stupidly, “I will believe you if you let me touch your ear.”  
   
Spock’s distorted expressions were a sight to see. He looked like he just learned that humans had a mating ritual of urinating on each other. But he still leaned down and let Jim touch his ear.  
   
After all, the content expression on Jim’s face made Spock feel that the exchange was more than worthwhile.  
 

 

Jim could not remember the end of the dream. But he touched Spock’s pointy ears in the dream, so it must be a happy ending.  
   
“My name is Kirk, Jim Kirk, _James Tiberius Kirk_.”  
   
“I cannot see how this information is relevant to our escape plan.”  
   
“It’s not relevant. I just wanted to tell you, “Jim replied. “So we are sitting on the floor when we escape?”  
   
“In fact, to reduce weight and resources, I think it’s better for us to stand until we reach _Amanda,_ “ Spock replied. “My Vulcan full name is complicated and unpronounceable to humans. I will tell you when we reach Vulcan.”  
   
“Fine, Mr. Spock- _I’m so logical_ -Pointy.”  
 

 

Apparently, when you hit the low point of your life, you can't really get any worse than that. After test driving that transportation device that “looked older than the Earth itself” in Jim’s words, and looting everything that might be of any use in the shelter, Jim and Spock were in the air at high noon. Jim opened his mouth, letting wind come in, and yelled and laughed, until he finally turned to Spock who was controlling the panel on his side. “This feels so strange.”  
   
“Closing your mouth now would the right choice.”  
   
“Then don’t answer me.”  
   
Jim wanted to continue bothering Spock and force him to speak with himself. He needed Spock to distract him an unnamed fear he felt.  
   
It was like meeting the new boyfriend of his mother, like being forced to attend his father’s memorial ceremony, like moving to a new place… Or, like beginning a new life journey, abandoning everything he knew and depending the world and his future on one person.  
   
Things went exceptionally well. When Jim and Spock opened the roof door of the shelter, sunlight outside poured in, breaching the darkness underground. It was quiet around, no suspicious animals chasing them. They encountered several rabbits on the way, all disappearing into the horizon behind before they could make an attack.  
   
   
   
 “The Goddess of Fortune finally smiled on us.” Jim was so excited when they finally arrived at the spaceship. He jumped off the “car” towards _Amanda_. “Babe, I miss you so much!”  
   
If Jim had to describe it, he would say that Spock’s eyebrow was disappearing into his hear.  
   
“I will begin reconstruction work according to our plan.” But he did not make any comment.  
   
   
   
Spock had extensive data to conclude that, with the immense differences between them, the probability that they could be in sync was exceedingly small. However, they in fact worked together perfectly well. Jim would hand over Spock the tool he needed without Spock needing to say a word.  
   
Spock continued asking why Jim did what he did. At first, Jim answered that, it should be cutting after lineation, so Spock would of cause need cutters. After a while, Jim got tired of explaining, it became: because _sun was hot, clouds were white, and Pointy was cute_.  
   
Having enjoyed enough of Spock’s “you are talking nonsense but I decide not to call you out” expression, Jim opened his mouth, facing back to Spock, “I don’t actually have an explanation. If you have to ask why, it might be because it’s a logical step that follows. But I don’t really think much before doing it. It’s more like intuition. I just feel like I should do it.  
   
“I know it sounds pretty unscientific…”  
   
“I cannot decide on the possible causes. However, it could be concluded that us working together can effectively raise efficiency, view the problem form different perspectives and solve it.”  
   
“In other words, we are natural…teammates.”  
   
Jim tilted his head and smiled towards Spock, waiting for him to something like “this is an acceptable term,” “this description is fairly accurate,” or “it could be understood this way.”  
   
But it was the not the first time Spock surprised Jim. The Vulcan’s line of sight seemed to fix on Jim’s face, unmoving.  
   
When it seemed a lifetime had passed, when it seemed that he could continue looking at him in his next life, when Jim thought he was frozen to a sculpture that could be disappear in the wind, Spock opened his mouth.  
   
   
   
“This expression is inaccurate.”


	10. Chapter 10

“Why?” Jim inhaled a deep breath, waiting for Spock’s final verdict.  
   
“I believe that if we spend more time together and get to know each other more, we could be more than teammates.”  
   
“You mean…” Jim licked his bottom lip, “friends?”  
   
“Life partners.”  
   
   
   
Jim blinked, as if he was watching a star being born from the collapsing star clouds and then dying instantly in the Big Crunch. His no longer functioning brain understood every single word Spock just said, but refused to send any commands to the rest of his body to respond to this untimely declaration.  
   
“Is this … a love declaration?” Finally, Jim cracked a laugh, trying to deflect the subject. “Didn’t know you were the type to play it straight.”  
   
“It is merely stating an obvious fact. I will only pursue a long-term relationship with you, with the eventual goal being marriage, after we are completely out of danger.”  
   
Spock tried his best to wear that Vulcan mask. He told himself that he was merely stating a fact, so it was unreasonable to feel nervous. He controlled his facial expressions perfectly as always, barring his slightly green ears, and forced himself to stop unblinkingly staring at Jim’s expressions to guess what he was thinking right now.  
   
   
   
_I should reject him outright, not leaving any hope for him_ , Jim thought.  
   
But that is not you. That is not the Jim Kirk who always goes all the way and never gives up. This type of coward actions, being afraid to even _try_ in fear of a complete failure, has never been an option for Jim.  
   
_No, it is too cruel for him. An empty promise would not do any good in Spock’s long years to come._  
   
“Let’s just start working. Get out of this shithole and I can go visit your home.” Jim patted Spock’s shoulder. “We finally got something done for once. Let's keep going.”  
   
“How did Bones die?”  
   
Spock couldn't help but asked the question he had been wondering for a long time, and received a long silence and stiffening expressions from Jim. After a while, Jim finally replied Spock. “His name was McCoy. I guess he would have preferred you to call him Dr. McCoy. Only I could him Bones.”  
   
“How did Dr. McCoy die?”  
   
“Why can’t you let it go!?” Jim yelled, despite looking perfectly calm a second ago.  
   
“I am sorry.”  
   
“For asking a stupid question?”  
   
“No, for you losing him.”  
   
   
   
_“It is illogical for humans to apologize for things that they are not responsible for.”_  
   
_“Bear with it. This is how we are.”_  
   
   
   
Jim remembered their conversation just two days ago. Spock had said that it was illogical to apologize for something you had nothing to do with. But now, he was _sorry_ for his past.  
   
There was truth beneath lies. Jim’s existence was proved by Spock's.  
   
Spock was changed by him. Even if he died in the end, a part of Jim was living in Spock, and Spock would carry on with Jim’s distinctive mark as long as he live.  
   
   
   
“Even at maximum speed, it takes at least ten Earth days for _Amanda_ to reach Vulcan when she is under normal conditions,” Spock continued as he did not get a response from Jim.  
   
“I cannot hold up for that long,” Jim interrupted him. “Most people here die a sudden death, either by each other’s hands or of animal attacks in their dreams. But Bones was not - I was with Bones till the end. I was at his side during his final moments, seeing him getting sudden pains all over the body, drowsiness, fatigue, mind full of weird thoughts… At least he didn’t suffer for too long. He could no longer scold me after two or three days.”  
   
“I could lessen your pain using mind meld.”  
   
“That’s great.” _But it could not stop the ticking bomb._  
   
“Maybe I could prolong it. I underestimated the extent of the deterioration of Earth environment and did not bring enough medicine,” said Spock, in a broken voice. “We need to find a way to sustain your life before we reach Vulcan.”  
   
“Tick-tock. Tick-tock.” Jim waved his hand. “Competing with time. That’s my favorite.”  
   
_So please don't look that angry and sad, like you are going to strangle someone the next second, like you are going to cry._  
   
   
   
Spock looked as if his Logic Goddess, the faith that he had based his whole life on, became a mortal. Jim patted his head, trying to think of something to make him feel better - _hurry, Jim, a joke, think of a joke._  
   
“A long, long time ago, there was a penguin. You know penguins? Those birds that walk with a waddle.” To demonstrate, Jim parted his legs straight and walked flat footed, body waddling as he took steps.  
   
“A kind of flightless birds that live around Antarctic regions.”  
   
“Yep. Penguin’s home was really, really far away from Polar Bear’s. It took 10 years to get there. You know polar bears too, right?” Jim cracked a grin at Spock’s confused expressions. “One day, Penguin was so bored, so he went to find a polar bear to hang out with, but only found out that he forgot to lock his door halfway there. He went back home to lock the door and then went again on his way to Polar Bear. So it took him 20 years in total to get to Polar Bear's home. Penguin knocked the door, 'Polar bear, I’ve come to play with you!’”  
   
Spock looked immensely confused.  
   
The two species had no way of communicating with each other; their physical traits restricted their abilities to cross the equator; not to say how they could ever have concepts like “home” and “key.” Even if this story belonged to the Human literary genre called “allegory,” Spock could not begin to understand what was the meaning behind this story.  
   
While Jim was just trying not laugh out loud. “Guess what Polar Bear said after he opened the door?”  
   
“What?” Spock asked cooperatively.  
   
“He said, ‘let’s play at your place!’” Jim finally burst out laughing. “Hahahaha, it’s so funny.”  
   
“I could not understand this story at all,” Spock said. “Is it an allegory?”  
   
“No, it is a joke.” Jim laughed so hard that he bent down deeply, trying to recover himself on Spock’s shoulder.  
   
“When we arrive at Vulcan, I will not say, ‘let’s play at your place.’” Spock thought of how the story Jim told of the wealthy man who escaped danger on his own served as an inspiration for solutions to real-life problems, and tried to relate what Jim just said with the current situation.  
   
“HahahahahahaVulcan, hahaha I didn’t know Vulcans could be so damn funny.” Jim laughed even harder.  
   
   
   
An illogical thought suddenly entered Spock’s mind, maybe he should not have thought Jim as _the human_ , as Jim Kirk was not a typical human being after all - he was a special, precious and unique being. He radiated a kind of unobservable field; the only measurable trait of this field was its uplifting effect on people around him.  
   
Knowing that his life could end at any moment, his first priority was to comfort Spock who was upset for the same reason, and he _succeeded_.  
   
Still laughing like crazy, Jim had no idea what Spock was thinking. He just slowly calmed down under Spock’s eyes, first stopped laugh, then sub-consciously straightened his back.  
   
“You look funny.” It looked ugly, Jim thought.  
   
“Your irrelevant story cost us 14.7 minutes. We should focus on repair work.”  
   
“It’s only a quarter-hour,” Jim murmured, choosing to start working with Spock. But it wasn’t even three full minutes before he broke the silence again. “I have many more stories. Do you want to hear any?”  
   
“It would lower your efficiency to talk during work.”  
   
“I can do both things at once!” Jim didn’t want to spend their final time together working with their backs towards each other. It wasn't that bad to be fair, but he wanted _more_. So Jim continued his effort to “disrupt” Spock’s work.  
   
“Humans do not have the ability to multitask with efficiency.”  
   
“But you awesome Vulcans do?”  
   
“The decrease in efficiency when Vulcans are multitasking is not as significant as that when humans are.”  
   
Though, if one of the task involved in the multitasking was called Jim, and the Vulcan was a mixed-race, then the decrease in efficiency would be significant.  
   
“Then, being an awesome human, I could chat with you without affecting my work efficiently, and Vulcans cannot be affected much, so the effect of us chatting would be negligibly small!”  
   
“In fact,” Spock removed his eyes from the column, cut perfectly according to design, and saw Jim’s expecting eyes on him. His words stopped at his throat. “…You make sense.”  
   
Jim knew he could not control himself anymore and turned his eyes immediately.  
   
“We could finish this pretty soon, right?”  
   
How stupid. Jim regretted as soon as he said the last word. This obvious change of subject couldn’t even fool a Vulcan.  
   
“Affirmative, I estimate that we could finish all the final preparations before dark.”  
   
_Oh, it might_. Jim could not be happier. _I really hit a jackpot here_. He gladly continued working, humming ridiculous tunes. Spock could hear something along the lines of “I found a pointy near the high way, he has pointy pointy ears, ears pointy like a pointy.”  
   
   
   
The sky was getting dark; empty landing ground was filled with leftover material and trash. Spock installed the column on _Amanda_. Everything was ready. Spock decided that it would be the time to take off once they examined every part of the system for the last time.  
   
Jim, who couldn’t stop talking a while ago, was now under the murky sky outside the ship. Spock could only saw Jim’s back to him, half-kneeling and finding something on the ground.  
   
“What are you doing?” Spock lifted his brow.  
   
Holding Spock’s cup, which was now filled with soil and sand, in his hand, Jim excitedly strode towards Spock. “Some _earth_. How can you science-nerd miss a sample of it? A perfect souvenir for the four-day adventure on the Earth.”  
   
Spock stared at the soil that could been seen literally everywhere, vaguely feeling like Jim was giving him something as a reminder of himself.  
   
“I have a more representative souvenir.” Spock was calm, watching Jim being confused at first, suspecting the metal column at first and then following Spock’s line of sight towards his feet and raised his head again. He almost jumped but could not think of anything to retort, ending up being quiet for a while. When Spock finished his final examination, Jim was still uncharacteristically silent.  
   
   
   
“You know, I once read a book. I found it in the remains of a library after the war started,” Jim spoke at last. “It’s called _The Little Prince_. You remind me of that story.”  
   
“I heard my mother tell this story when I was a child. In fact, even though my father’s social status is similar to that of a human prince, the actual natures of their positions are entirely different.”  
   
“A prince from a planet far, far away, accidentally falls onto the Earth and wants to go back. Isn’t he just like you? Even though I don’t know if you have said goodbye to your rose at home.” There was something shining in Jim’s eyes.  
   
“There are no roses, or plants like roses on Vulcan.”  
   
“Rose or not,” Jim replied somehow irrelevantly, “I’m sure of one thing: I’m tamed by you.”  
   
Spock recalled the golden wheat fields in his mother’s story. There was no wheat on Vulcan, but he believed it must have been the same shade as Jim’s hair.

“But that book was incomplete, so I did not see the ending. Does the prince go home at last?”  
   
Spock’s throat was suddenly dry. _Vulcans cannot lie._  
   
“My mother told me this story when I was young. I couldn’t recall clearly.”  
   
“Don’t your Vulcans all have incredible memory?”  
   
“As far as I can remember, at the end of the story, the prince brought the fox back to his own planet, found his rose, and went back to Earth to see the pilot now and then.”

 

   
“Really?”  
   
“Vulcans do not lie.” Considering he was only half-Vulcan, he was not lying here.


	11. Chapter 11

Jim was excited. He watched Spock type commands on the touch screen, and then the ship finally took off after gaining enough velocity. He leaned on the observation window and watched the ground getting further and further away.  
   
It was truly happening. He’s going to leave this place.  
   
He was going to leave everything behind. This home that he hated yet couldn’t have lived without. He was born on this planet, learned to survive in the hardest way, met different people and developed one relationship and another. Earth was everything that made him who he was today. Today would be a turning point in his life: if everything goes well, he will be in an entirely different world soon. He could not begin to imagine what he would experience there.  
   
Or, maybe the turning point was not today but that time when he sat over Spock and _threatened to cut his throat._  
   
Jim pictured a group of pointy ears, with long robes, hands on their back, in poker faces, standing in a close order formation and staring at him. He shuddered at the thought.  
   
“Spock, you don’t have a bunch of Vulcans relatives who would love to scold me and smack my hands for being an illogical human, do you?"  
   
“Vulcans do not approve of physical punishment,” Spock was surprised at the kind of punishment Jim mentioned. “Secondly, Vulcans are not unfamiliar with races outside of our own. There are a small number of aliens on Vulcan, including businessmen doing interstellar trade, travelers, and visiting scholars. Lastly, I will stop anyone who suggests any kind of physical punishment towards you.”  
   
Now the picture in Jim's mind turned into a Spock standing in front of a formation of army and stopping them with his bare hands. He was greatly amused at the image.  
   
   
  
When _Amanda_ reached her maximum speed, Jim completely abandoned Spock and just became obsessed at looking through the window. He was now _in_ this magnificent scene which most humans could only see on the internet or in the science museum. Words could hardly describe this incredible and surreal experience. No wonder people who did go to the space were all forever changed by it.  
   
The daily routine of the two people in the closed space then became Jim enjoying the view and Spock doing his math, sometimes interrupted by a few exchanges and Jim's questions and exclamations.  
   
Jim's animation didn't last for too long. Soon he couldn't keep standing solely on his own, so he spent most of the time lying down or leaning on Spock's body. Spock didn’t look much better. The dark circles under his eyes became darker and darker, his face grew more and more tired.  
   
“How long have you been awake, Panda?” Jim leaned against the wall, deliberately keeping his tone light and working up some energy in his voice.  
   
Spock did not have the heart to point out the inaccuracy in Jim's question. He had several plans, but none promising enough to be acted upon. All his knowledge about human biology came from his mother and the remaining library in her crashed ship. He did not have the confidence to treat Jim without any experiment.  
   
“Vulcans need less sleep than humans.”  
   
“That doesn't mean that Vulcan pointies don't need rest.”  
   
Spock admit that what Jim said was not unreasonable, but he could not convince himself to stop his examination of medical theories. On the other hand, Jim couldn't really stop Spock. He too knew the feeling of helplessness, the regret of not having done enough when all was said and done.  
   
Finally, Jim waved Spock over.  
   
   
   
Spock thought Jim wanted to stand up and stretch his legs, so he walked to his bed, leaned down and tried to help Jim up. He did not expect Jim to grasp at his collar and pull him over to the bed with his weight. He did not expect Jim to crush his lips on his, accurately.  
   
The kiss was long and fierce, filled with determination and desperation.  
   
Spock suspected that at that moment, Jim became a liana that lived on his blood, hanging on to his body and not letting go, despite everything. He felt that he was about to be ripped out his flesh and soul.  
   
The moment they touched, a flickering golden flower appeared in his consciousness, like a candlelight in the windy night. The light could die out at any second and the world would go back to its usual darkness. Spock wanted nothing more than to protect that vulnerable, yet warm and bright flame with his shoulders, with his body, with everything he had.  
   
“Humans, don't have to do _handshakes_ after all,” finally releasing his mouth, Jim said, a little out of breath. He was now beaming.  
   
Spock felt a lump in his chest. Not moving an inch from the posture when Jim tugged his collar and suddenly kissed him, he finally made the decision. “I’ve being doing calculations these days. There is an extractive from an alien plant which I think has a probability of 67.3% to reduce heart rate and lower body temperature on humans.”  
   
“Like hibernation?”  
   
“It could be understood this way. But I only simulated the effect of the medicine on human body system with a simplified mathematical model, while organisms are endlessly more complex. I could not be entirely sure.”  
   
“Well, that's two thirds of ‘sure’. It's worth the risk,” Jim accepted Spock's suggestion without blinking an eye.  
   
   
   
Spock locked himself in his lab for a long time. Jim didn’t have the slightest idea of what he was doing. He started looking back on his life. From his difficult childhood, the rebellious and impulsive teenage years, to the adulthood in an endless escape. From that abandoned library, the farm at his childhood home in Iowa, Sam sharing the first taste of alcohol with him, to Bones smacking his head and scolding him for being a troublemaker.  
   
Those pieces of memory flied past his eyes at a dizzying speed, leaving shimmering beauties and nightmares behind. Spock was either the end of his short and complicated life, or the start.  
   
While he was mocking himself for looking back on life like an old man, Spock came out of the small lab with nothing in his hands.  
   
“Jim, I have something to show you.”  
   
Jim leaned on Spock and saw the red image projected by the holographic projector in the lab, fairly surprised.  
   
“The cloud pattern around the north pole of Saturn. Does it look like roses on Earth?” The image changed as the red cloud pattern revolved around its center, and coincidentally, surrounded by different shades of greens.  
   
“In some way, I guess.” Jim didn't quite know how to respond to this sudden romantic gesture from Spock, _from Spock_. He just leaned forward to see it more clearly. “That was what you see on your way here? You lucky Vulcan.”  
   
“And this nebular, Vulcans call it NGC 2244, but my mother always called it Rosette Nebula. She told me that it looked a lot like roses on Earth.” Spock showed him another image. In the image, the red star cloud had fascinating, symmetrical patterns, looking even brighter and more beautiful with the black hole in the center. Only the shining stars scattered across indicated the vastness of the nebula.  
   
Spock displayed all the images that looked like roses in the index system of the ship. Jim reached out to touch one fabulous rose, but his hand passed through the projection.  
   
“Thank you, Spock.” Jim hugged Spock from behind, chin placing on his shoulder. “Now I finally know why.”  
   
   
   
“For what?”  
   
“While I was running for my life, I sometimes wondered what I was still holding on to, where I was going, what my destination was. Dying is easy. Living is harder. But I wasn’t yet ready to give up. I walked the hardest path so that at least, I could have the freedom to choose.” Jim’s voice is low, every word pressing into Spock’s chest through vibration instead of air.  
   
“Now I know. _I've come all this way to meet you_.”  
  
  
  
Spock’s body was as stiff as a statue. Jim patted his shoulder. “Give it to me.”  
   
Jim saw the synthesized medicine in the shape of a pill on the desk the moment he stepped into the room. He moved over and held it up. “If I eat it, I might die; if I don’t, I definitely will.”  
   
“I found out after I came to Earth that it is incomprehensive to make decisions solely on probabilities and deductive reasoning.”  
   
“I believe in your research.” Jim swallowed it with a big grin, and then immediately cursed. At Spock's nervous expression, Jim shrugged. “Didn't expect it to taste so bad.”  
   
Spock gave Jim a stare which could not be less threatening. “Do you need rest now?”  
   
“I'm not pregnant!” Jim stared back. But Spock did not back off.  
   
Jim finally compromised and lay on the bed, his breadth almost too shallow to detect. His body temperature didn’t drop down. Spock could not tell if it was a normal reaction or if something went wrong. And Jim refused to let Spock leave his side to get the medical tricorder.  
   
_Bones, see, I won't die alone after all _, Jim thought.__  
   
He once heard that some animals could foresee their end, and Jim now felt that there might be some truth in it. Despite the fear and frustration filling his blurred mind, Jim began to worry for that stubborn Vulcan. His mind became murkier and murkier, his body heavier and heavier, like descending in a swamp. Jim tried to keep his eyes open and tugged the hem of Spock's clothes.  
   
“Spock, don't get too upset.”  
   
“I am only a half Vulcan, but all my biological traits all lean towards Vulcan. Even if the war had never happened, it is predictable that your life would end before mine,” Spock replied, somehow irrelevantly.  
   
“That's right. You once said that ‘it’s illogical to be annoyed by indisputable facts.’ Then it is also illogical to be upset by indisputable facts,” Jim finished a long sentence, so tired that he wanted to slap himself to stay conscious.  
   
“In fact, I found that statement inaccurate.”  
   
“You could foresee it doesn't mean that you won't be upset about it, right?” Jim was still smiling.  
   
“Yes. I will be.”  
   
“This universe is too large. I regret that I haven’t had the chance to explore it all. I had only seen auroras and the milky way from images on the internet. I had dreamed myself to lie on the planet of the little prince, all the lavish colors and magnificent stars above my head.  
   
“But I am content. Thank you for everything that you've shown me.  
   
“I'm so sorry that I can't go to Vulcan with you, that I could not see the sun rises and sets on Vulcan. It must be extraordinary. I want you to know that the Earth was once beautiful too, with splendid auroras, deserts, snow mountains, eastern architecture, fascinating species and so many wonderful things. So is the universe. I hope you can carry on, see the world for me.”  
   
Spock pried Jim's hand on his clothes loose and held it tightly in his own.  
   
“There are things, beautiful or ugly, being born or passing away every second in the world. There are many kinds of beauties I have not seen before, but the most beautiful one I have already seen."  
   
Getting the underlying compliment in his words, Jim gave him a weak smile.  
   
“You see, the colorful star clouds in the universe are absolutely beautiful, but it is the matters of which the wavelength our eyes cannot see that give birth to everything. Stars are born there. Then life and wisdom.  
   
“And we will ultimately scatter in the universe, go back to that darkness…”  
   
His voice grew quieter and quieter, until finally gone; the hand in Spock’s own was still warm. A tear suddenly fell down from Spock's face, soon absorbed by the white sheet; if not for a small wet spot, it was as though it had never been there.  
   
   
  
   
  
_"Jim, I haven't told you my Vulcan family name."_

  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before leaving angry comments, just remember, there is still one chapter left! Angst is over!
> 
>  
> 
> For references:
> 
> Image of Saturn's north polar storm:  
> https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia14944.html
> 
> Image of Rosette Nebula:  
> https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/0702/rosette_gendler_big.jpg


	12. Chapter 12

One effective way to prevent heart attack would be to ban Vulcans from watching you wake up from within 30 miles .

 

   
“Shit. How did you die?” Jim climbed out of bed in an instant “Wait? I'm not dead?”  
   
“Impressive ability to gather information.” Spock raised one eyebrow.  
   
“So… I'm not dead?” Jim touched his own face in hesitance. “Or does heaven or some other afterlife places show you clips you want to see after you die?”  
   
Spock’s expression was an indescribable mixture of sadness and joy. Jim stoop up and suddenly pulled Spock's bang.  
   
“Haha, I've always wanted to do this. What a way to prove that I'm alive!”  
   
“It is meaningless to prove a fact that you have already established.” Spock did not react at all to the mistreatment of his hair, neither using his Vulcan super strength to stop him as Jim would expect, or starting a lecture on how Jim’s action was inappropriate. He just stared at Jim, unmoving, unblinking.  
   
“Well. There's nothing to lose.”  
   
“Jim.” Spock's expression was almost blank.  
   
Affected by Spock's grave tone, Jim got a little serious and gave that familiar face one more look. “Why do you look so tired, or… Are you _older_?”  
   
“In human years, I am now 35.7 year's old.”  
   
“How much time has passed?” Jim couldn't help but panic. “What year is it now?”  
   
“In human's measurement of time, ten years.”  
   
   
   
“Ten years,” Jim slowly repeated Spock's words in a mutter. He stepped onto the floor with bare feet and raised the curtain on the other side of the room. Outside the window was not the endless desert in his imagination, but some short woody plants that he did not recognize grown in neat rows. Further away was the vast, maroon colored land.  
   
He actually arrived at Spock's home, this strange new world.  
   
“How did you bring me back to life?” Jim forced himself to calm down. Hands pressed against the glass window, he watched robe-wearing Vulcans walking by the streets.  
   
“In fact, the credit does not belong to me,” Spock said frankly. “I'm inclined to give you the necessary body examinations first, and then explain to you everything that happened.”  
   
Jim was still leaning on the window, telling Spock with his eyes that “I’m won’t do anything before you explain everything to me.”  
   
“In fact, the person who saved you was you yourself,” Spock finally compromised.  
   
“Is this some kind of philosophical statement?” Jim started to stretch his arms and legs, trying to feel if there was anything wrong with the body that had been in sleep for ten years.  
   
“Negative,” Spock started to explain. “Seven Vulcan days ago, there was a small flight craft attempting to enter Vulcan's airspace.”  
   
“Enemy?” Jim's expressions became lively instantly. “Humans?”  
   
“Please let me finish the story,” giving Jim a look, Spock said unhurriedly.  
   
In Jim's eyes, Spock's unconcerned look and use of polite words were actually saying that “one more word and I will kick your ass.” The invisible tail behind his back limped; Jim sat down on the bed in his best manner and listened to Spock tell the whole story.  
   
   
   
Seven days ago, Spock detected some unusual readings: there was a small discrepancy in the number of transport ships arriving Vulcan. After some investigation, Spock found a fascinating group of two.  
   
— Kirk and Spock from another universe.  
   
Kirk from the other universe was apparently more relaxed and more fearless, wearing a bright yellow uniform and a blinding smile. He could freely express his reliance on Spock. Light touches between bodies, silent communications with just eye contacts: everything was showing the kind of connection and relationship between these two.  
   
The starship _Enterprise_ they were flying experienced some unusual disturbances in her voyage. After travelling some distance, the whole spaceship was dragged to this universe by a naturally occurred black hole. First Officer and Science Officer Spock believed that they needed to wait for the natural disturbance to disappear before they could go back to their own universe. And since their arrival place was near Vulcan, they launched a small flight craft to observe the planet in close distance.  
   
“He went to his home planet at the risk of being mistaken for an invader?” Jim didn't quite understand. “They weren’t hurrying to go back to their own universe?”  
   
“This incident made me think about the impact of the butterfly effect.” Spock did not answer Jim's question right away. “The possibility we talked about before becomes reality in their universe: Earth developed faster-than-light travel and established First Contact with the Vulcans, and together, they formed the United Federation of Planets, to which the ship commanded by Captain Kirk belongs. The small differences in history caused the huge disparities in our worlds today.”  
   
“‘Ship commanded by Captain Kirk’?” Jim felt that he grasped the key point here. “So my rank’s higher than yours. You work for me!”  
   
“In First Officer Spock's universe, Vulcan was destroyed in an incident, and later, Kirk did not survive the injury he got when he was saving Earth,” Spock's voice became somber.  
   
“Vulcan was destroyed? And I died? But you said that you met two people.”  
   
“First Officer Spock and Doctor McCoy injected the blood of an Earth fugitive into Captain Kirk and revived him. Now the body measurements of Kirk are normal.” Spock's expression was full of disapproval at Jim refusal of heath examination.  
   
“This story sounds a bit far-fetched, even for me,” Jim interrupted him, totally ignoring his expression. “And then you drew Kirk's blood and gave me a shot?”  
   
“It is what happened.”  
   
“In other words, I just lay on my bed, doing nothing and being miserable, and waited for you to rescue me, like some kind of Sleeping Beauty.”  
   
“I froze you with the equipment available in _Amanda_ before your brain death.” Spock did not wish to recall the moment when he started the freezing equipment. He was holding Jim's cooling hand the whole time, his eyes blurred by tears, his heart full of bitterness and despair.  
   
“For so many years, you never thought of burning me to ashes and then throwing everything into space?” Jim shook his head. He could not begin to imagine how Spock went through these ten years. “You could not do experiment on me, and you had no new data to collect. You just waited all these years in desperation for a highly improbable event, like _us from another universe_ helping us?”  
   
“You once said that you didn't believe in a no-win scenario.” Spock looked back on his past ten years. It seemed long, yet short and dreadful the same time: meditation, work, necessary socialization, research on human medicine, search for surviving humans near Vulcan, visit to the quiet Jim, and talking to him about his day.  
   
Sarek did not make any comments on Spock's decision to bring back Jim. He gave his tacit consent towards Spock's research direction and routine exploration of Earth, did not say a word about Jim who was frozen at Spock's place. He only told Spock, after he lived an almost ascetic life for three years, that his mother would be concerned for his well-being right now.  
   
Spock felt sad for Sarek who had to use his mother to express concern for him. He was once confused at the union of his parents, and even now, he could not think of any words to comfort Sarek other than a “live long and prosper.” He loved Amanda, but he had to admit that, he understood her much, much more after knowing Jim.

 

   
And now it was all over. Regaining what was lost could not describe a tenth of what Spock was feeling right now. The hands on the clock of his life started ticking again the moment Jim opened his eyes.  
   
Now this man was standing right in front of him, alive, pulling his hair, making jokes, with bright colors and great warmth, within his reach.  
   
“You said that, you've come all this way, went through all your suffering to meet me.” Spock concluded, ignoring Jim's attempt at hiding his sudden uncharacteristic shyness. “These ten years, it was all to meet you again. Ten years, twenty years, a hundred years. It would all be worth it.”

 

   
For Jim, time stopped the second he lost consciousness, and the next moment was Spock standing there on the other end of the time, waiting for him.  
   
How could he ever repay Spock, who was stuck at the same spot for ten years and unable to move on? Spock was his friend, his almost-lover, and his savior, and in this new world, Spock would be the only door, only window to the outside world, he would be his family, the only lifeline in his hands.  
   
He understood clearly he must face a strange world, an unfamiliar planet, a new environment. He needed to learn new languages and traditions from the start. As a stranger in a strange land, he would never blend in. The unfamiliar scenery outside the window would be his whole life from now on.  
   
_Oh, fuck it._  
   
The world took away so many things he deserved from him. He would not let go of the only one that's left, his dumb bang or pointy ears.  
   
He was willing to rely his life on Spock. Prudence was a valuable virtue, but Jim was more than willing to bet everything here.

 

   
“So, are you ready?” Smiling, Jim half kneeled on the bed, wrapped his hands around Spock's neck and pulled him closer. “Being the boyfriend of an endangered species in the universe. That is not an easy task.”  
   
Some fragments from when First Officer Spock and him mind melded flashed through Spock’s mind: Captain Kirk half kneeled on the floor, holding the hand of First Officer Spock, the light from outside shining on his smile. He looked as if he wasn't afraid at all that Spock could refuse him. He asked if Spock was willing to continue this journey with him, as his partner.  
   
“In fact, considering I am the only Vulcan-Human mixed blood in this universe, I believe that I can successfully accomplish this task.”  
   
Spock followed Jim's movement and slipped his arms around his back, his body wrapped around Jim's, not leaving any chance of escape.  
   
Jim was slightly surprised. He thought that what would come next would be a kiss, but instead he got a hug that could hardly be felt. He looked at Spock in his periphery, who was as stiff as a stone, as if Jim would grow a pair of wings and fly away the next second.  
   
“Jim.”  
   
“Yeah?” Jim blinked. The star in Vulcan's planetary system was shining on his face; he could not see Spock's expressions.  
   
“ _Jim._ “  
   
“I’m here.” Jim almost wanted to pat Spock's back in comfort. He held his breath and let himself hug Spock back more tightly.  
   
“I cannot foresee the future, but wherever you go, I will try my best to be there by your side.”  
   
“I’d like to respond you the human way.” Looking at the bright colors outside the window, Jim promised him, “I love you too.”

 

 

 

                                                

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Artwork created by me :)
> 
> I want to thank 域城 for writing this amazing story and thank you all for reading!


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